TORTURE GARDEN
by Jen1978
Summary: Sequel to REVELATIONS 6-8.The world was saved but the cost was great.But has evil spoken its last word?Three friends reunite to put an end to hell's plans once and for all...at all cost Undertaker,Batista,Jeff Hardy /slash-violence
1. Chapter 1

**TORTURE GARDEN**

**PROLOGUE**

This is the sequel to REVELATIONS 6-8. If you haven't read the story, it would be best to check it out first but if you don't feel like it, here is a short summary:

The four horsemen of the apocalypse are about to walk the earth and prepare the ground for the coming of the antichrist. Mark Callaway (Undertaker), his brother Glen Jacobs (Kane), John Cena and Dave Batista are the four men chosen by fate to fight against the four riders. According to the Bible, the four horsemen (white, red, black and pale) will break the seals and bring the end of the world. Jeff Hardy is chosen by 'the one that follows the pale rider' (that means Hell) and gets corrupted before the others get to him in time. They take him along against the four riders. They try to exorcise any demons by the performing the Banishing Ritual but it fails due to some detail. All the while, a strange bond is formed between Jeff and Dave, one that lay dormant all the years and would have never been woken up if it hadn't been for their adventure. They come close but never fulfil their dreams and destiny because they don't have time. They venture into the fight but just before the start, Hell takes over Jeff and he betrays them. The four friends get separated and they fight alone. John defeats the white rider, Glen defeats the red rider but the black one doesn't fight Mark (who was raised as a child to fight demons). Instead, the black rider makes a deal with Hell and the pale rider and they make Dave and Jeff fight each other. At first Dave resists and Hell (through Jeff) tries to seduce him but then he fights back. Mark arrives in time before Dave kills Jeff and manages to exorcise Hell out of him by using an old pendant. But the procedure is too painful for Jeff's mind and he ends up in a Psychiatric Hospital.

This story picks up after Jeff is committed…

If, during the story, elements of the first part come up, they will be explained in the same chapter.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

This is a wrestling fanfiction. Names and characters belong to themselves and the WWE.

This is a violent (murder, rape) and (later on) slash fanfiction (that means male on male sexual scenes). If you don't like them, please don't read. If this is your first, then read and judge by yourselves.

This story has nothing to do with Octave Mirbeau's 1899 novel or Freddie Francis' 1967 movie.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Now… Like I have said before…

Get comfortable…

Turn off the lights…

Close the door behind you…

Did you lock it?

Are you sure?

Let's begin our descent.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Welcome to where time stands still  
No one leaves and no one will  
Moon is full, never seems to change  
Just labelled mentally deranged  
Dream the same thing every night  
I see our freedom in my sight  
No locked doors, no windows barred  
No things to make my brain seem scarred

Sleep, my friend, and you will see  
That dream is my reality  
They keep me locked up in this cage  
Can't they see it's why my brain says "rage"

Sanitarium, leave me be  
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Build my fear of what's out there  
Cannot breathe the open air  
Whisper things into my brain  
Assuring me that I'm insane  
They think our heads are in their hands  
But violent use brings violent plans  
Keep him tied, it makes him well  
He's getting better, can't you tell?

No more can they keep us in  
Listen, damn it, we will win  
They see it right, they see it well  
But they think this saves us from our hell

Sanitarium, leave me be  
Sanitarium, just leave me alone  
Sanitarium

Just leave me alone

Fear of living on  
Natives getting restless now  
Mutiny in the air  
Got some death to do  
Mirror stares back hard  
kill is such a friendly word  
seems the only way  
for reaching out again

(Lyrics taken from Metallica's Sanitarium)

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Time had ceased to exist and brain did not register images… not anymore… not now…

Days turned to nights and nights turned to days over and over again but his mind wouldn't register that passage of time.

His body was laying on the bed and his face was looking the ceiling. He was feeling cold but he didn't do anything.

His eyes rarely blinked these days and they had lost their clear and bright colour, like a blurry veil had fallen upon them, hiding the world from him and him from the world.

His face was blank, empty… emotionless… and it only made him look younger.

And innocent.

People used to pass to see him, like some sort of caged animal. Some entered his room and did things to him. He still couldn't feel them and he still couldn't see them…

For him they did not exist. The pain the needles and their prodding did sometimes brought tears in his eyes… but he never looked at them and he never acknowledged their presence. Many had stopped visiting him. Some still came regularly.

His father was one of the few that came to see him every day.

Like the nurses and the doctors.

Once a nurse had asked his father how he was doing. He had just looked at her and sadly answered her

"Every time I see my son, every day that passes and I have to see him like that, I die a little"

He then had dragged his tired footsteps to the hated room of his son for his daily half hour visit.

And that was all the time he had each day to see his beautiful boy… all the time it took him to die a little… for his heart to shatter into a million pieces.

Few were the times he had witnessed one of his violent outbreaks but those few times, he had almost died. Seeing his precious son's eyes become crazed and frightened, his body jerk and twist, seeing him cry in pain and fear, scream and hurt himself, all that had pushed him to the edge to the point of him needing medical care.

It had been a hard road to take for the old man but he had not faltered and he had not for once stopped no matter how much it cost him.

Every day, at the same time, the hospital staff could see him slowly make his way to the room, close the door behind him and sit down next to his son. Each day he would take his hand into his own and caress his face. He would always have a book with him and he would read it to him like he had done when he'd been just a small child.

Each day there were tears…

Each day, his son would show no signs of improvement…

No signs of recognising him.

And each day he seemed to be drifting farther and farther away from his father.

But it didn't matter to him. When he had lost his wife many years ago, his sons were all he had left of her in this world and everything he had done, he had done for them. Now it was no different. He had left his home in North Carolina and moved to that remote town just to be near his son.

When the time was approaching to be separated from his son, he would always dry his tears, kiss his forehead and then kiss his son's hands, hating the awful restraints around his wrists… the ones that had left so many marks, red raw lines and cuts from all the times he had pulled them trying to get free or hurt himself. Just before closing the door behind him he would always hate himself for leaving him alone in this room, in this darkness. He would look into his eyes praying that someday they would look back and smile.

"I love you son" he would always say before leaving… before going back to the apartment he rented and break down in endless sobbing.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Matt Hardy had a hole his heart. Ever since the day he had laid eyes upon his brother, he had lost half of himself. It had been hard telling his father but it had been harder taking him to see his son. He had been there when the old man had broken down for the first time and he was thankful that Jeff was sedated. He knew that his father wouldn't bear to see him having a crisis like he had witnessed.

He had understood his need to be near Jeff and he loved him for wanting to be there but he couldn't do the same thing. He really wanted to be there for his family but he couldn't just give up his life, move to that town and forget he ever had a life.

Jeff wouldn't want him to…

So instead he left.

He went to see him one last time with his father. He approached the bed and sat next to him. He placed his palm on top of his brother's chest feeling his heartbeats and respiration.

It was the hardest thing he ever had to do in his life.

"Hi little brother… how are you today? Listen…" he said awkwardly and removed his hand, placing it on Jeff's limp hand. He remained silent for a while, just him looking at his brother, talking to him as if he were awake. He smiled for a moment bitterly but then reality set in and the smile faded. He had visited him many times during the last few months and each time it was getting harder and harder to see him like this. It wasn't until few weeks ago that he knew what he had to do… only he didn't want to do it.

"This… is the last time I'm coming here… I'm… sorry to leave you Jeff… I can't stand… to see you… like that…" he started to cry feeling so guilty for leaving him behind. "I am not as strong as… as dad is and… I… I just cannot see you waste away… and… I hate myself for it. I have to do this little brother, for me… for my own sanity… if I stay here with you, I'm afraid I'll start loosing it… I wish I knew how to help you but I cannot when I don't even know what happened to you… what happened little brother? I was supposed to be looking out for you… how could you go away without me?" he buried his face in the bedcovers and let himself weep. "Please come back to us… you have to fight… win this, like you always do… you win and come back stronger… please Jeff…"

But nothing happened. Jeff still remained still in his bed with pupils dilated from heavy medication and his mouth half open. His hair had grown longer and the dye had faded a long time ago leaving them in their natural blond colour.

"What am I supposed to do without you?"

He looked at him, tears blurring his vision. He hated himself for leaving and knew he wouldn't be able to sleep any more. But he needed to go. He could feel his own self and sanity slowly but steadily dripping away. He got up from the chair next to the bed and washed away his tears. The first step away from the bed felt like a knife in the heart and for a moment he actually felt pain.

The second step brought new tears he was barely able to restraint. He didn't want to let go of his brother's hand.

A third step was all it took to break their contact.

Turning his back felt like committing murder.

"I love you Jeff. I hope you can forgive me someday…" he whispered and left.

The sound of the door he closed behind him would echo in his worse nightmares for ever.

He found his father sitting outside patiently. He looked at him guiltily and the old man approached him. He hugged his old son tightly and Matt broke down in violent sobs.

Father and son stayed like that, holding each other, drawing force one from the other.

"I'm sorry dad"

"It's ok… your brother would understand…"

"Will you ever forgive me?"

"Matt…" he broke their embrace and took his son's face in his old strong hands. "You must do what you think is best for you… and like Jeff, I want what is best for you… I don't forgive you because there is nothing to forgive… I love you son… Jeff loves you too… never forget that…"

Matt looked at his father and sadly nodded. He wiped his face from the tears and uneasily stepped back.

"I… I have to go…"

His father nodded his head and let him go.

"Please call me when you get home" he told his son.

Matt was back- stepping away.

"I love you dad… I love Jeff too… will you tell him that?"

"Every day my boy… every day"

Matt left the hospital just as the sun was about to set. Winter had come early and the temperature had dropped during the last few weeks. The days had become shorter and night came too early for his liking. He knew that Jeff liked the night. He had told him once that he did his best art work after midnight. He smiled at the memory of Jeff painting, of them filming with Shannon the Hardy Show, he remembered Itchweed, Jeff's funny alter ego, all the times they had been together in the ring, winning or loosing titles and championships and all the dangerous dives he had taken from insanely high places.

This was how he chose to remember his brother and that was who he really was… not that broken man inside that building. That was not the brother he knew and not the one he wished to carry with him in his memories.

Matt Hardy looked at the hospital from his car as the sun was setting. The sun gave the sky a beautiful unique red- orange colour. The only thing that bothered him was those nasty dark clouds nearing from the distance. A storm was ragging somewhere near. Lighting was falling and thunders echoed like drums of war.

'The storm is approaching' he thought as he started the engine. Jeff liked to run and dance in the rain. He smiled to himself. He started the engine and drove off.

'See you brother… I love you… don't forget me' his mind told his brother as his car passed the front gates.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 1**

Have you seen death?  
I have.  
I have seen many die by my hand,  
Guilt follows my every step,  
Their faces haunt my dreams,  
The shots ring in my ears.  
As I watched them,  
Their eyes filled with pain,  
Terror flashed across their faces.  
With trembling bodies,  
They fell towards the blood-stained ground.  
Why hadn't they told me this  
When I had signed on?  
I wish I could wake,  
From this nightmare of life.  
I try,  
But... I can't.  
I weep at night,  
Praying for forgiveness,  
But their faces remain.  
I wish I could forget,  
The torment I saw in their eyes,  
But... I can't.  
The deaths I have seen is great,  
But the guilt is greater.  
I wish I could forget everything,  
But... I just can't.

(The Guilt- poem by Michaela M. Bearfield)

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

He hadn't been able to sleep since that night. He just lay on his bed and tried to, but sleep was always denied from him. He had learned a long time ago not to force it but just accept it and try to rest as best as he could. His body felt so heavy and tired, too spent from the time on the road and the psychological drama he had been though…

The one they all had been through some time ago.

But not that long ago…

No… time in this case did not heal all wounds. Some run too deep to forget… and to him, the last wound had left a scar too big for his soul to ignore. He couldn't help but wonder how the others slept at night. He did see them at work, on the road, on shows, on pay per views… they all had the same look on their face; the same guilt and darkness clouded them.

Tonight was no different from the other nights. He was on his bed, with all the lights turned off and his eyes wide open. His mind was more alert than in the day time and he just couldn't relax.

The full moon cast long shadows, longer than usual and for some reason he had closed the windows of his room despite the hot weather. It wasn't the lessons he had been given by his teachers, the ones that told him always to keep the windows closed because evil can enter through them… no, tonight it was more like a feeling that had urged him to close them and even lock them.

He sat up from his bed and removed his clothes deciding to take a shower. He got under the cold water and just shut his eyes trying to focus; just run what had taken place that night through his mind… maybe he had done something wrong… maybe he had missed something…

He remembered after that cursed night talking to Glen, John and Dave about their fights and he had come to a dreadful conclusion… that while John and Glen had gotten rid of the white and the red rider, the black one and the pale still remained here…they still roamed among the living and they had not been killed. He had to find them in some way and kill them…send them back to hell and stop the coming of the antichrist.

But Hell was another thing. He was certain he had exorcized it from Jeff but had the pendant he had used sent it to the place it belonged or had it possessed someone else? Had Hell been banished? How could he know for sure that he had succeeded?

And what was even worse, what really made him lose sleep was Jeff… was there something he could have done to save him? Had he acted carelessly?

Was there something he could still do to save him? Bring him back?

He had asked himself these question so many times and every time the answer was the same.

No…

Water was still running and for a moment he had forgotten where he was. He was lost in thought and in time… his mind was drifting away from reality and each time he did that he found it more and more difficult to return. As a child he used to do that more often but his teachers had told him that while this method of thought was helpful and productive, it also hid some monstrous dangers. He had the gift of separating his conscious mind from his body and get lost from reality. This separation helped him focus more on the problems, isolate them and find the solution, but it also made it hard for his mind to find its way back. The bigger the problem the further it drifted away and the harder it was to get back. If one day he wouldn't find his way back, then he would die and his soul would never find peace. It would remain a ghost, an evil spirit unable to find rest for all eternity,

And Mark knew that evil sprits and angry ghosts after some time turned into devils and demons, the kind he had learned to kill.

He managed to find the strength and untangle his mind from the web it had weaved. He turned off the cold water and exited the shower. He took a look of his face in the mirror.

Mirrors where another thing. He didn't like them at all but not because of his teachers or some evil theory… he simply didn't like them because he could see his face in it; because he couldn't hide from himself, he couldn't avoid his feelings. Mirrors made him come face to face with decisions he had made or decisions he has to make.

Tonight his own self caught his eye and just wouldn't let go. It felt like his reflexion had a mind of its own and tonight it was forcing him to look deep inside…

It felt like a big accusing finger was pointing straight at him.

He growled at himself and lifter his fist ready to smash it to pieces. But he didn't. Something made him stop at the last moment.

'Just mirrors' he thought. Instead of punching it, he covered his reflected face with wet fingers.

He left the shower and sat back down on the bed. He sighed at the heavy burden of the realization that he had to find a way to save Jeff. He felt like he needed him to finish this. He needed Dave too for the last stand. It was upon him to find a way to bring Jeff back and find a way to kill the black and the pale rider once and for all.

The shower hadn't helped after all.

He put his head in his hands and let the cold drops run down his back wetting the bed sheets. He hadn't bothered to dry himself. He found it soothing to just sit and wait to dry off instead of using a towel. He found it helped him think. His mind was constantly working these days, always searching and remembering.

_["I am afraid" Jeff whispered. _

"_I know…"_

"_Am I going to die?"]_

Jeff had asked him that question only a couple of hours before they had encountered the four horsemen. He had told the young man the truth without holding anything back.

Was that the wrong thing to do at the time? Was it Hell that controlled Jeff at that moment? He had told Jeff about the pendant he would use to exorcize Hell out of him… maybe he shouldn't have done that. Maybe if Jeff didn't know about the pendant then maybe they would have won and Jeff would be alive.

Maybe he would be dead.

"Shit" he cursed out loud.

_["Will you be the one to do it?"_

"_Yes" Mark answered_

"_After… will you be there for my brother? For Matt? He won't understand… he is going to need someone by his side to take care of him."_

"_I will… I promise you…__ don't worry… Jeff, can I ask you something? If you had a chance to leave, now, from this… would you? Knowing what awaits you…"_

_Jeff's chest was heaving trying to suppress the sobs. _

"_No…. it's not because I am noble or valiant. I am not as strong as the others. I am petrified… I don't accept what is happening to me and I really don't want it"_

"_Then why?"_

"_I do it for you… for them" and pointed at the three men in the room. "I do it for my brother… for my father… because I believe that this is important and above my selfish desire to live… because I believe you when you say that if I don't do it then all the people I love will die… I go tonight with you, feeling afraid and miserable. Knowing now that I won't die, doesn't help me… it makes it worse…"_

"_I really wish death was the answer"_

"_Me too… I am scared"_

"_I know… but when the end comes, we will all be by your side… you won't be alone. For all that matters, I wish I could trade places with you…"_

"_I know…"_

"_I would… in a heartbeat…"_

"_I know"_

"_I am sorry that this has fallen upon you"]_

Jeff had made him promise two things that same night. He had promised him that he would use the pendant no matter what and that he would be at Matt's side.

That last promise he hadn't fulfilled. He had tried standing by the family's side but Matt's attitude had shoved him aside. The older brother blamed Mark for Jeff's condition and he didn't want to see him near any more. No matter what the dead man had told him, it didn't change the way Matt felt. He had lost Jeff and he wasn't offered any explanation. Mark had made sure than no one not even the police found out what had happened. No one had to know and even if they knew, they wouldn't believe him any way.

No one ever did.

Some wild story about Hell, horsemen, the apocalypse and the antichrist!!! He could easily imagine their laughter and mockeries. He would be lucky if he wasn't committed in an asylum.

During the last few moths he had spent his energy trying to find a solution. No matter how hard he had tried his knowledge hadn't been enough. As far as he knew, there was nothing he could do…

As far as he knew.

He lay back on the sheets and closed his eyes.

Maybe sleep would come tonight. He wished he could pray to God again but since that night, he just couldn't find the courage or the strength to do it. He breathed deeply and held his respiration for a moment, just listening to his heart beat slowing down.

When he breathed out, he opened his eyes and was surprised to see white blurry lights flickering. For a moment he thought he might be having a stroke, but then the blurry lights multiplied and he started feeling dizzy. He wanted to get up, lift his arm and touch the lights but his body didn't obey his will. He thought he should get angry or even scared, but he didn't. The lights were so beautiful and so warm. They filled him with a strange feeling, one he couldn't exactly understand, but welcomed it none the less.

The lights became more and more bright but didn't blind his eyes. They enveloped him and he wondered if he was alive or dead, if he was awake or dreaming. The room had vanished in the white light but he still was on the bed, still wet and naked. He felt so light and so calm.

A whisper reached his ears, a slithering sound, like a voice trying to come to the surface, crawling from under the earth. It was getting lost inside this light, like it was hurting it; stopping it from reaching him.

He stretched his ears in effort. The voice was coming closer with every passing second. Mark was not so sure about the origin of it or its purpose but he had no choice.

"…..eas…."

The first words came muffled and scared. It was a voice and it belonged to a man.

"Who are you?" Mark asked.

"….eeeeeaaaaaaase…" the slurred words were starting to make a little sense but still.

"I can't see you… I… I can't hear you…. Where are you?"

"Pleeeeaaaase" came the first word.

"Please? Please what? Show yourself" the dead man barked starting to get frustrated,

"Please help me"

The voice was still a little muffled but the agony it hid was clear.

"Who… who are you?"

"I am begging you. Help me"

The voice was familiar; too familiar… It took some seconds for Mark to identify it but before he did, the voice spoke again.

"Please Mark, don't leave alone in here"

Mark's body twitched and tensed. His breath was caught in his throat and his hands started to shake.

"Jeff?" he asked almost in tears.

"Help me… help me…"

The voice started to drift away again into oblivion.

"I… don't know how…" he whispered.

"God… it hurts… it hurts so much…"

Mark's eyes were wide open and frantic. Jeff's voice was sinking again. He panicked knowing he had to reach the young man before he was lost to him again. He had lost him once in the past, he couldn't lose him again. He wanted to scream and tell him how sorry he was, that he didn't know what to do, how to save him… that he would give his life if it meant bringing him back,

Then he heard Jeff scream. The voice although it was coming from far away, it tore the air and hit him like a dagger in the heart. It was so strong, Mark could actually feel physical pain.

Another scream

And another

And then nothing.

The lights became brighter and brighter but this time they blinded him. He wanted to cover his eyes but couldn't. Whatever this was, he had to get rid of it; he had to wake up. The light hurt him now; it made him feel sick like Jeff's pain had leaked and poisoned it and if he didn't wake up soon, then he would be poisoned too.

"My God, please have mercy on me" he thought and focused all his thought and will to his prayer.

And just like that, with a howling sound, the lights vanished and he opened his eyes with a start. He was still lying in his bed, naked but the water on him had dried. His hair had dried as well. His breath was racing and he felt tired, like he had been running for miles.

He sat up swiftly, his gaze searching around the room. Something was out of place. He looked to the right…

The window… he had made sure it was locked…

It now stood open.

He walked to it and looked outside. He was on the tenth floor and the view was breathtaking. The night was so calm and so beautiful.

And he felt so restless.

He looked at the ground below, at the people and the cars … this city never slept. Whatever had happened tonight wasn't good. He had no idea what those lights were and how he had heard Jeff calling for help…

Was that a work of evil or had Jeff found a way to communicate with him? Was it a trap set by the black and the pale rider?

He closed the window and closed his eyes for a few seconds.

The big breath before the plunge.

He knew there was no other way…

He had to go see Jeff even if it meant walking into a trap… or worse, facing Matt Hardy and his father.

It wouldn't be easy and it wouldn't be painless.

He grabbed his things, packed them into a suitcase and left.

It was a long way to the psychiatric hospital and he had one more stop to make before visiting Jeff.

One more person he had to take with him; one that was necessary if he wanted to succeed.

Dave Batista.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 2**

I hear you breathe so far from me  
I feel your touch so close and real  
And I know  
My church is not of silver and gold,  
It's glory lies beyond judgement of souls  
The commandments are of consolation and warmth

You know our sacred dream won't fail  
The sanctuary tender and so frail  
The sacrament of love  
The sacrament of warmth is true  
The sacrament is you

I hear you weep so far from me  
I taste your tears like you're next to me  
And I know  
My weak prayers are not enough to heal  
Oh the ancient wounds so deep and so dear  
The revelation is of hatred and fear

You know our sacred dream won't fail  
The sanctuary tender and so frail  
The sacrament of love  
The sacrament of warmth is true  
The sacrament is you

(H.I.M.- The Sacrament)

The glass of wine was half empty.

Half empty?

Or was it half full?

Right now it seemed to him half empty.

Distant thunder shook the window glass signaling the fast approach of a weird sudden summer storm.

He took a small sip from the glass and let it linger in his mouth for a few seconds, expecting soon to taste the familiar burning on his tongue; but he had lost all sense of taste a couple of hours ago. He never pretended to know anything about wine, but he was pretty sure this one was probably the worst of them all... he had drunk it none the less. He was passing a convenient store near the hotel right after the house show and before even realizing it he was in, buying the first bottle of wine he could find.

It was pretty late. He held his glass, empty now, in his hand as he had swallowed the last drops of the thick red liquid feeling them run down his throat. He reached for the green glass bottle wanting more. His fingers searched blindly for it. He sighed when he felt it empty in his hand.

'Damn'

He had managed to drink it all without passing out cold. How had he done that? He didn't know, but one thing was certain. He wasn't drunk enough.

The thunder echoed loudly, simultaneously with its companion, the deadly and luminous lightning. He hadn't seen that coming! As the thunder hit the ground, startled as he was, he let the glass fall.

Its trajectory towards the dark carpet seemed to take place in slow motion. He only turned his gaze and watched it smash right next to his feet into many sharp dirty pieces. He was too numb to react fast and try grabbing it. Instead he just watched it coldly shatter. He got up from the chair and knelt down to pick up the pieces. Carefully one by one he gathered them in his palm.

So many of them! And so razor-sharp! Small yet lethal!

He sat down and for a while he just looked at them like they were the most breathtaking sight he had ever witnessed. From the pile he chose one piece of transparent glass.

This one was sort of unique; special in it own way. The fall had given it the form of a badly shaped heart. It reminded him of his own heart. Only this one was still whole, it was still intact. His own glass heart was shattered. How he envied this one! How he wished it was his own! Its lines bent graciously, forming the curves on top and ending in a bitter pointed deadly edge in the bottom.

He let the other pieces fall down again, and all that was left in his hand was this small glass heart; small, fragile, beautiful and alive.

He wanted to scream… scream so loud until his voice would give out… until he had no more breath… but he was too numb by now and the large amounts of alcohol in his blood seemed to take effect. His legs trembled and if he had been standing he would have fallen down.

No…

He could not let himself sink into this, he could let allow his mind follow this trail of thoughts. Not tonight, not again.

'_Then why did you get drunk? Why did you knock back all this awful wine by yourself?'_

The small voice of his consciousness echoed in his mind.

"Maybe I deserve it!" he responded to his consciousness out loud. The small voice in his mind fell silent and spoke no more. He had managed to silence it, but it was too late and he was too tired to fight any more.

He leaned back, still sitting on the floor, resting his tired shoulders on the bed legs.

Lately a pain in his heart seemed to grow. A bitter taste rose frequently from the back of his neck up to his mouth; a taste that invaded him and took over completely, every evening as the sun was setting.

He knew the reason; and each night his heart broke into millions of pieces. Sadness lurked behind the shadows and no matter how hard he tried he knew he couldn't escape it.

It was too late for him now.

Was there really something he could have done?

Now sitting alone in the dark, late at night he can't help but think of him.

The candle is already half burned just like his heart. Its delicate smell is strong. It is a scent he has always loved and now he can't help but wonder if he likes it because it reminds him somehow of him. How is it possible to love someone so much and still having to be parted from him so early and so violently?

He knew they were special then, he could feel it deep in his skin, he could almost taste it.

_Are you so weak? You can't even say it can't you?_ The voice of his subconscious mocked. _It's been two weeks and you still can't say it!_

A hand grips his heart and squeezes it tightly.

_Jeff is… __gone…_

And there is no getting him back.

A thunder hits the ground somewhere near, shaking the ground outside, making the glass windows rattle. It doesn't matter how cold or warm it is outside; in the room it is cold and he is strangely happy that the sky is crying with him tonight. He knows this is the night to make decisions; take bold steps. Rain drops keep falling on the windows but he cannot find the tears to shed. Another thunder falls nearby and the windows tremble and shake.

The candle is fading…

If he could go back to the very end, he knows he would have done things differently; he would have said how much he loved him, how much of him he stills carries with him; how he wouldn't be able to live without him by his side; he wouldn't have let him go.

His lips are numb from the booze and the long nights of tears and sobbing. And tonight he feels more alone than he has ever been. Abandoned, alone and scared. He hurts; but this is a different pain and he feels guilty;

Because he is still alive.

And he is that horrible place. Alone; in that silence; in that dreadful night.

But now he knows. He knows why he aches, why his heart is sad.

It is because it's broken.

It is because he won't be complete without him.

He will always be alone; half the man he used to be.

And tonight, he finally figures out that this pain will never stop; it will never go away. He wants his heart back. He wants him back.

Whatever chance he had in happiness and in life was burned into smithereens.

Then some nights, dark nights, came where he couldn't hide any more. The pain would grow so much it would take over all control. He would huddle into a corner and try… try to remember what it was like to be happy again.

But tonight, it is too late. Tonight is the night where his life's mistakes have caught up with him. Tonight he can't ignore any more the truth. The choices of his life were wrong; they were mistakes… but as wrong as they may have been, they are his to bear for the rest of his life.

A thunder startles him and wakes him up from the reverie.

He is still alone and tomorrow will be the same as today.

The same…

And that scares him. He opens the window and lets a few drops cool his warm skin. Perhaps they would take the pain away. Perhaps. There is so much pain and anger in him. He wants his life back, he needs his heart back. But he has left it with Jeff and he was robbed of him, leaving a big black hole in its stead.

How he wished someone would notice this emptiness and help him.

But no one noticed. No one saw… maybe he hid it well… maybe they thought it was best to leave him alone…

Maybe in time, someone will notice.

Maybe not…

The candle is failing. Its small flame trembles and struggles to take its last breaths. His dark eyes fall upon it and he gets lost in it. Then it's gone.

All is dark in the room; dark and silent. But the smell lingers on.

He closes his eyes and sniffs the odor one last time before it's gone.

Strange how much of him he still carries with him.

And as he falls asleep he can't help but wonder if anyone would notice if he was gone.

He drifts slowly into sleep and just before Morpheus claims him, a knock on the door wakes him up. Angrily he stands up and gingerly walks to open. He is ready to curse whoever stands outside but when he sees the dead man, his voice is gone.

Mark stares him back and they look at each other for a moment. Then he leans towards Dave, sniffs and scowls.

"Are you drunk?"

Dave opens the door wide enough to let him inside.

"Not enough apparently"

Both walk and it is only until Mark is inside that Dave notices the suitcase.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes… and you are coming with me"

"I am?"

Mark nods.

"Where are we going?"

"See Jeff"

Dave stops dead on his tracks. When Mark looks back he sees all blood has drained from his face.

"When was the last time you saw him?"

Dave bows down his head. Mark approaches him surprised at the realization.

"You haven't seen him? At all? Why?"

Dave sighs and sirs hopelessly on the bed burying his head in his hands.

"After that night… and then after the drive back, in the car, holding him in my arms… it was all too much… I tried to see him but I just couldn't go inside. I went to the hospital but the thought of seeing him lying there, in that place, alone… I just couldn't do it… and then Matt was there and his father too… Mark… how could I face them after what we did?"

Mark sits beside him.

"I feel so empty and so alone" he continues. He feels Mark nod his head. He too feels the same way. "I'm scared…"

"Of what?"

"Me… Jeff… the way I feel…"

"Actually that is why I came to see you… I have seen Jeff only once since that night…"

"Just once? Why?"

"Matt wouldn't let me near Jeff… he thinks I am responsible… and he is right…"

"Mark…" Dave protests but the dead man stops him.

"Listen to me… the point is… I have been searching for a way to get him back and I can't find anything to help us… there are two facts right now… one, the pale and the black rider are still out there, and two, we both haven't seen Jeff."

"Meaning?"

"Something happened tonight… something I can't explain… I saw some stange lights enveloping me and I heard Jeff calling out for help"

Dave tenses and suddenly he feels very sober. He is too emotional to speak so he lets him continue.

"I didn't see him… but he was in so much pain and loneliness like you said… he needs our help and we need him to end this once and for all… but tonight was the first time he was able to approach me mentally from afar… I have to know if it was a trick of the devil or if Jeff did try to contact me… and I need you there with me"

"Why?"

"For two reasons. If it is indeed a trick, then we have to fight the riders and finish this… or if it is not, I am going to need you to bring Jeff back"

"Bring him back? How?"

"Through you and… the way you feel about him"

"I… I don't understand…"

"Come on Dave… there are many people around you that may be blind but I am not one of them. I knew the way you felt back then and I still can see how much you love him and Jeff needs to hear that, He needs to know. Only you can bring him back"

"I held him in my arms for hours in the car and he didn't come back. I prayed and I cried in his ear… it is of no use…"

"You need to tell him what's in your heart and I need to get to him. I must see him, I must…"

"Must what?"

"I must speak to him…"

Dave looks as if he has been stricken by lightning.

"After tonight, I think that I can speak to Jeff in another way…"

"What is that?"

"You'll see when we get there… it is too early for that now. You must prepare now. We have to leave. We have a long way ahead."

"Mark… what if they won't let us see him?"

"We have to see him… one way or another… no matter how… even if it means abducting him from there"

Mark speaks last words quietly and calmly lost in thought. He doesn't look at his friend and Dave is thankful for that. This is one moment he can't stand his piercing gaze. He sits up and silently prepares his suitcase.

"I am scared this time" he says to the dead man, referring to the last time they were together, the night he had faced Hell and the four horsemen. That night he hadn't been scared. This time, it is different though. He feels a gripping cold fear spreading in him like deadly mist.

"I know…" the dead man replies and he can see that he too is scared this time.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 3**

Behind those eyes lies the truth and grief...  
Behind those beautiful smiles I've seen tragedy...  
The flawless skin hides the secrets within  
Silent forces that secretly ignite your sins

Fly away, fly away  
From the torch of blame  
They hunt you  
Lucifer's Angels  
Never lived, you never died  
Your life has been denied  
They call you  
Lucifer's Angel

Beyond these clouds you can hide all your tears  
Beyond this world you'll be safe from their wicked fears  
And in their hearts they fear your demands  
You know their minds won't accept you, they'll never understand

Fly away, fly away  
From the torch of blame  
They hunt you  
Lucifer's Angels  
Never lived, you never died  
Your life has been denied  
They call you  
Lucifer's Angel

On your own I know you can make it  
Truth or bone. I know you can shake it  
Survive alone I know you can take it

Fly away, fly away  
From the torch of blame  
They hunt you  
Lucifer's Angels  
Never lived, you never died  
Your life has been denied  
They call you  
Lucifer's Angel

Fly away, fly away  
Run away, run away  
Hide away, hide away  
Lucifer's Angel

(The Rasmus-Lucifer's Angel)

His eyes felt so dry. They were always so wide open and they always looked at the same spot on the ceiling.

He was so tired…

And he had never felt so alone.

But he had accepted his fate. This was the price he had to pay for the things he had done; for his choices and the sins he had committed; for his betrayal. He almost welcomed it.

Almost…

But the price they had to pay was too great to bear.

In his silent prison, there were times he was quiet and calm. He had learnt to appreciate these times because the alternative was intolerable. The times he was not calm, those were the worst he had ever lived. The nightmare that unfolded in front of his eyes was too cruel and too violent to accept. And he could always feel the nightmare approaching… but always he was unable to do anything. One moment he was in his bed calm and tranquil and the next he could see 'THEM' again… killing and mutilating everyone he had ever loved. He had seen them eating his father's face with their fangs, cutting his brother's body to pieces with their claws. He had seen them coming near him with their horrible smell of decay and he had even felt their hands on him, groping his flesh.

In his silent prison, he was grateful with every moment he had spent with his father and his brother. Although they didn't know and he couldn't speak, he could hear them talking to him, feel their touch in his skin and his face, their breaths close to him. He was always so happy so see his father entering his room, with a book in hand; he loved feeling his rough hand caressing his hair and his face… how he wanted to tell him how much he loved him; how much he needed him… how much he wanted to tell him not to leave him alone… because THEY came when he was alone.

There had been times when they would come when he was with his brother or his father, but those times had become rare. The presence of the loved ones made them weak and although he couldn't tell them, each time Jeff saw his family enter the room, he wanted to cry from relief.

But he never did. His body was not obeying and his mind was not his own… not anymore.

His father always loved to touch Jeff's face. He was the one who took care of him too… he didn't want the nurses or the staff touching him. He was the one who cleaned him up, gave him his bath and shaved him like he used to do himself. He always said how good looking his boys were and it gave him purpose to do those things for his son; things that he wouldn't normally do if his son were awake…

And sane…

Jeff knew how much he had hurt his father, how much he was still hurting him. Every time he would come visit him he could easily sea hope fading from his eyes… disappearing a little with every visit.

There was none left any more.

And Jeff wanted to cry.

But never before had his eyes been drier.

He was aware one day of his brother coming to him and talking but he couldn't quite understand what he was talking about. He realized something was wrong because Matt was crying. He hadn't seen many times his older brother cry. He really wanted to focus his mind for just one second, just one moment and look at him in the eye… give them hope, but he couldn't. Every time he had tried to come back, they monsters had come giving him nightmares and so much pain. So he had learned to recede deeper into the depths of his mind and with time he had gotten lost in it.

He was vaguely aware of his brother not visiting him any more.

These days rare were the times he was aware of his surroundings. His fear of THEM had become so great that the only times he allowed himself to focus was when his father was around… and that he did it at great expense. It felt like he was in a horror film. Each time he would open his eyes he would get his bearings and just when he would try to focus, the monsters would come.

These days he was not able to feel his father's touch so often. His once shining eyes had become the deepest pools of murky water. The drugs were keeping him well sedated and under control.

Or so the doctors thought.

The drugs were giving him dreams… nightmares… and they were driving him insane. In his conscious and unconscious mind, THEY were always present, always lurking in the shadows, waiting for him… they were always there, and no matter how hard he fought or how deeper he would crawl, they always caught up with him.

THEY were different monsters every time. They were dead people with no eyes, big mouths and sharp teeth; they were flayed rabid dogs chasing him; they were people he had once trusted with his life and now they were eating his flesh; and they were the horsemen… they were Hell making him kill Mark… slaughter Dave… rape him and taste his blood…

He was screaming… always screaming… and constantly crying.

And still no sound came out his mouth. No tears flowed. He just stared into nothingness, waiting for the end to come, for the suffering to cease and his soul to find peace. Nightmares were everywhere…in his slumber…in his conscious hours… and there was no way out of it.

The last thought he remembered having before loosing touch completely was how good his father smelled. His familiar after shave invaded his senses and made him feel safe.

Safe for just one last moment.

Then the monsters came, and he drowned in them.

Mark had been driving for hours without stop. Dave was sitting next to him and despite the late hour, he was not asleep. His nerves were too tense to let him relax. He heart was beating fast. He was eager to see Jeff again and he was scared too. He had no idea what he would find and he was not ready to face this… but he doubted he would ever be ready.

The street lights by the road side made him dizzy. They changed they way things looked and they made the background nature darker still. The moonlight was distorted and the colours had changed by the sickly yellow lights.

"How are we going to get him out?" he asked absent minded.

Mark didn't speak for a while. He too was lost in thought. His mind had drifted to what they would have to do after they had acquired Jeff.

"We'll have to break inside"

Dave turned and looked at him raising his eyebrows.

"Break in? What if we get caught? I mean, won't there be security?"

"There is a night guard that patrols the grounds and corridors."

"Is he armed?"

"Yes" Mark stated flatly.

"We are gonna get shot!"

"No we won't"

"Then how are we going to get passed the guard?"

"Leave that up to me."

"You are not going to kill him are you?"

Mark chuckled and nodded negatively.

"When we get inside, I want you to take Jeff and get to him to the car"

"What are you going to be doing?"

"I will be busy with the guard"

Mark could see that Dave wanted to ask something more, but couldn't find the strength.

"What is it?"

"Nothing… well… it's just that… Jeff's father is there"

"I know. He hasn't left his side since the first day"

"If we steal Jeff from him, won't that break him? I mean, is this the right thing to do?"

"In this life there is no absolute right and wrong. In matters of humans, what is right for one is wrong for the other. God and Satan are the only two absolute good and evil, right and wrong.... Taking Jeff, is the right thing to do for us because we are partly responsible for his 'becoming' and we want to bring him back. But in order to do so we have to do wrong by his father. Taking his son away without him knowing will cost him dearly… but we have no choice"

"So we have to do wrong to his father in order to do right to Jeff. Is that what he would want? Jeff, I mean"

"I don't know Dave… the stakes are too high to answer that. You are closer to Jeff's soul than I am, you know what is in his heart… what would you do if you had a choice?"

Dave looked outside the window. There were no more street lights, meaning that they had drawn away from the city limits into the wild. The moon was clear and the nature no longer distorted by the yellow electric light. Moonlight was casting a dark blue hue and he was able to see his surroundings in a distance.

"I would rather hurt one person and save many…" he finally answered.

Mark looked at him and didn't speak.

"But we don't know if we will win in the end" he added to his thinking. "But I know how much hope there is in Jeff's heart… so I know that he would want this even if it meant hurting his father"

Mark turned his eyes on the road ahead and turned on the fog lights. In a matter of seconds, they were completely surrounded by a thick white cloud.

"What is that?"

"Fog…" the dead man answered under his breath.

"I know that… but at this time? I thought fog usually happens on mountains and in humid places…"

"This is not a usual fog… this is evil following us"

"How do you know?"

Mark opened the air vents for a while and the car filled with a horrible stench.

"What is that nasty smell?" Dave asked covering his face with his hands. The revolting odour was making him want to vomit.

"That is sulphur… that is how hell smells like… and that is how I know this is not a usual fog. It will follow us to Jeff if we don't do something"

"Can we outrun it?"

"It is too dense to accelerate. This is not a highway and the road ahead in not straight… it will be dangerous…"

"Since when did danger stop you from doing anything?" Dave asked uncovering his face. The smell still lingered but it was bearable.

"Never" the dead man replied and his boot hit the accelerator.

The car sped up and in a few seconds they were travelling twice their original speed; the car swerved and turned in twists of the road sharply. None of them spoke, their attention of the little they could see ahead. Many were the times they saw the side of the road or a sudden turn at the last moment. Dave could hear a strange howling coming from outside but he wasn't sure if it was the fog or hell…

Mark knew that this sound was hell's hound chasing them. His knuckles became white as his palms squeezed the stirring wheel.

Dave turned his face to look outside.

"Don't look out the window…" the order was barked at him and it was the tone of his voice that made him comply without question. "Don't look outside… keep your eyes ahead… look ahead to the lights or down at your feet… but don't let them look into your eyes… you are Jeff's soul mate… if they look into your eyes, they will not only see you, but they will see Jeff as well… they will know where we are going and what we intend to do. They will get there before us… Dave…" Mark said and his hand squeezed his fellow passenger's shoulder. "They will win"

Dave could feel blood draining from his face. Fear rose to his throat leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He looked ahead into the light and the fog that was illuminated by them. Suddenly he didn't want to look at it at all. The sound was still echoing around them and he knew that this was not the sound if fog made when a car passed through it… this was a sound he didn't want to hear anymore. He covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes tightly. He felt Mark's hand removing from his shoulder.

The car kept its frantic course and the dead man focused his attention on the road. His trained eyes didn't see only the fog and the asphalt but the hell-hounds running to catch them. In the white cloud that surrounded them, he could hear them rabidly growling…

But there was another sound that caught his ears. Undetected by normal human ears, his own hearing caught its faint distant echo. He turned to his left to see what it was; just a small peak…

He whispered a small prayer, one he had learned in ancient Aramaic and one that allowed him to look into the eyes of evil call it by its true name.

But then he didn't see just the hounds.

There was something out there he had never seen before. He had known about them from stories of old, from books and scrolls but none of his teachers had seen 'them'. As far as he knew it was thousands of years since they had last been seen.

And one was there right next to their car.

One of Lucifer's Angels.

The form looked like a ghost and it was barely visible in the thick fog, but he could see it. It was just as the scrolls had described it would be.

Like sin.

Its slim long form was clothed in white robes that flowed eerily in slow motion. From its back a set of huge wings emerged, wings that may have once belonged to one of God's angels but now they looked battered, broken and its perfect feathers dirtied, bloodied and they were missing at some places making the inner skeleton visible.

The face didn't belong to a man or a woman. It was a hermaphrodite presence with cold blue eyes and long white hair that caressed the face softly.

This ageless being was the most beautiful thing Mark had ever seen in his life. He looked into its eyes and found himself willing to get lost in those piercing eyes. He thought that they reminded him of someone and if he looked deeper he would find out whom.

The angel approached his window and brought its face close to Mark's. It was flying without flapping its diseased wings and it felt like time had slowed down. Mark felt his hands relax on the stirring wheel and his body loosen up in the strange presence.

Suddenly the angel touched the window with cold porcelain white hands and its face changed into a scull of death. Through deceased teeth came a long forked red tongue and with its tip licked the glass. Mark realized he had to focus and act soon but the sudden change and the missing eyes had made him recognize the angel at last; whose form it had acquired.

Then came a cry; a long high pitched noise that couldn't belong to any man or beast. It was coming from the angel next to them; a noise that made the scull distort and elongate disturbingly.

Then the glass broke and like everything else, it seemed to happen in slow motion. It broke in thousands of small pieces, into powder and they lingered for a few seconds in place. When they scattered, everything fell inside the car. Mark managed to cover his face at the last moment preventing the sharp fragments cutting him.

But now there was nothing between them and the angel. Between them and hell's hounds outside. He looked at the angel one last time. He saw it reaching its hand to touch him.

One touch and all would be over. One touch and death would befall him condemning everyone in suffering.

"Dave…" he said not looking at the man beside him. Dave was still covering his ears and he kept his eyes closed. If he didn't matter if he hadn't heard him. "Hold on"

And floored the accelerator. The car gained speed fast and the dead man was trying really hard not to crash it. The fog around them was thick still and the beasts still ran with them. The car swerved dangerously and hit the metal railing by the side of the road making the metal chassis grind and sparkle. They continued their frantic course for a few minutes before Mark was able to gather his thought and realize that speed wouldn't help them. He reached into the glove compartment and took a small round glass vial with Holy Water.

He turned towards the glass window. The angel was still there with its deathly hand outstretched only a few inches from his face. Mark opened the vial and sprayed the holy water on the angel.

The results were immediate. Another ear piercing scream echoed from the angel and soon the hounds started to howl desperately. The fog began to dissipate but he didn't slow down the car. And it was like a big curtain had been lifted in front of them, the fog vanished along with the beast and Lucifer's Angel.

Mark hit the breaks with force and pulled the hand break. The car made a 380 turn on the asphalt and came to stop a couple of feet from the edge of the road. He was able to see his surroundings for the first time in a while. He saw they had stopped on the edge of a huge 100 feet drop from a mountain side country road.

Dave opened his eyes and uncovered his ears. He looked outside the car to the void that gaped at him like a grotesque mask.

"What happened?"

"Lucifer's Angel"

"Who?"

"One of Lucifer's servants… it came at us… this is bad"

"Why?"

"Because they haven't appeared in humans in thousands of years… we have to hurry" he stated and started the car.

He didn't finish what he had to say though. He wanted to say that it was bad not only because of the time it had chose to appear but also because of what it had made him feel…

of the form it had chosen…

of whom it had reminded him of….

Jeff Hardy.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 4**

I can't remember anything  
Can't tell if this is true or dream  
Deep down inside I feel to scream  
This terrible silence stops me

Now that the war is through with me  
I'm waking up, I cannot see  
That there's not much left of me  
Nothing is real but pain now

Hold my breath as I wish for death  
Oh please god, wake me

Back in the womb it's much too real  
In pumps life that I must feel  
But can't look forward to reveal  
Look to the time when I'll live

Fed through the tube that sticks in me  
Just like a wartime novelty  
Tied to machines that make me be  
Cut this LIFE off from me

Hold my breath as I wish for death  
Oh please god, wake me

Now the world is gone I'm just one  
Oh god, help me  
Hold my breath as I wish for death  
Oh please god, help me

Darkness imprisoning me  
All that I see  
Absolute horror  
I cannot live  
I cannot die  
Trapped in myself  
Body my holding cell

Landmine has taken my sight  
Taken my speech  
Taken my hearing  
Taken my arms  
Taken my legs  
Taken my soul  
Left me with life in hell

(Metallica-One)

He looked at his feet… they were naked. He wasn't wearing any shoes and that was something he liked. He enjoyed walking on different surfaces with bare feet because he liked how it felt; sometimes soft, sometimes hard, sometimes cold and sometimes painful.

His toes were buried inside golden thin sand. Sound reached his ears and looked up.

He was at the beach and the sun was setting slowly on the horizon. He didn't know where he was but the sight was unmistakable. It was the ocean. The water was dark blue and the sky spotless. The smell of salt reached his nose and for a moment he closed his eyes savouring the moment.

He didn't want to ask himself how he had gotten there. He had learned not to question those dreams any more. Not that they were dreams. He knew all too well that those were drug induced hallucinations. He knew that the monsters would soon come and that no matter how hard he would run, they would catch him; that they would find a new torture for him, a new way to make him scream in pain.

He had grown so tired of running and hurting.

He looked around but didn't see anybody. Except for the sound of the sea, no other sound was heard; not even his own breath. He looked once more around. Behind him he could see dunes and some vegetation. In the distance, two huge mountains loomed, casting their shadow on the beach. Jeff thought that the only access to this place was by through a gorge or a canyon between those large masses of rock.

He turned his gaze ahead, to the sea. He took a deep breath and sat down on the sand. He found it comfortably warm and let the heat warm his body. He hadn't realised until now how cold he had been. He didn't find it surprising that he was wearing a hospital gown. He passed his palm through the sand and for a moment he tried to hold it. Some grains slipped through his fingers but a lot remained in his hand. He looked at it in sadness. He remembered how he was a prisoner in his own body; how he was held captive to eternal slumber by some twist of fate, and to some extend, by a choice he himself had made. He let the rest fall down.

He put his head on his knees and closed his eyes, focusing on the peaceful sound of the waves hitting the beach… and waited for them.

Usually the first thing he heard was some kind of howling, growling or worse, some kind of screaming or flesh tearing. This time the first thing that reached his ears were footsteps on the sand beside him. He didn't want to open his eyes out of fear of what or who he might see. He squeezed them tightly shut, like a small child afraid of the monsters under the bed or in the closet.

Only his monsters were very much real.

He didn't open his eyes until he heard someone stop next to him and speak in a very familiar voice.

"Hello Jeff"

The sound of that voice made Jeff's eyes relax in surprise. That man was the last person he ever thought he would dream about. Before opening his eyes, and without thinking a word came out of his lips as soft as a whisper.

"Eddie?"

And upon opening his eyes he saw him.

Eddie Guerrero.

Jeff wanted to cry by the mere sight of him. He looked like he did the last time he had seen him, a few years before his death. He looked full of energy and life. He was smiling so kindly and his eyes shone. But what really took him off balance was the light that surrounded him. Dressed in all white, hands in pockets, Eddie looked like an ageless being, like a guardian angel.

Eddie knelt beside him a couple of feet away. He rested his hands on his knees and just kept smiling at Jeff.

"I don't understand… Am I dead?"

"No you are not" Eddie responded and a wide smile illuminated his face.

That alarmed Hardy. If he wasn't dead, then why was Eddie here? All this light and calmness made his think of this as a Devil's trick to make him suffer more. He crawled away from Eddie in fear, never letting him off his eyes.

That made Eddie laugh out loud, a sincere laughter like he used to do when he was alive.

"Where are you going esse? I am not going to hurt you"

Jeff looked at the dead latino through matted hair that fell on his face. He was expecting Eddie to transform into a monster any moment now. He had seen many of the devil's tricks, but this was different. And it felt different. Despite his fear, Jeff found it impossible to back away any further.

"You are lying" Jeff accused him. He realized he was breathing fast and his hands were clutching onto the grains of the sand.

"No I am not" Eddie's voice came out soft and despite of his smile disappearing from his face, his eyes still shone and his expression became softer and kinder.

"Yes you are. You are another trick to hurt me… to make me suffer."

Eddie shook his head indicating that the young Hardy was wrong.

"Jeff listen to me…" he said and took a step forward. Jeff petrified didn't move, Instead his eyes opened wider and braced himself of what he thought would follow… pain.

But that didn't come. Eddie stood a few inches away his hands now out of his pockets and his eyes a little sad.

"I wish we had more time together. I wish I didn't have to tell you what came here to say… But we don't have much time, so I will be brief. Listen, and listen to me carefully because what I am going to say is important."

Jeff was holding his breath, a million thoughts passing through his mind at the same time, but none strong enough to make him react.

"God has not abandoned you… He is with you always. You carry Him with you always. But Hell has marked you as its own. And I am so sorry this has fallen on your shoulders but…"

Hesitation…

'This can't be good' Jeff thought.

"But you have to fight it and win… failing is not an option this time. If you fail, then I'm afraid the consequences will be so devastating not even Mark will be able to save the world"

"But they won… the others… they defeated the four horsemen"

"They did, but this time the danger is much more serious… if you fail this time, the doors of Hell will open and He will walk free…"

"He? Who is he?"

"Satan's son… the Antichrist"

Jeff was speechless and too numb to even form a thought. This was above his imagination. Eddie's look became graver and sadder.

"Our time is almost up" he said and looked back above his shoulder, towards the shadows and the mountains as if he was expecting to see someone coming. "Listen to me Jeff… You have to trust me…"

"I… I do trust you" he said despite of his mind screaming the opposite. But then again, Jeff was always the one to follow his heart.

"The others are coming for you. Mark and Dave are coming to get you and they will try to free you from the bonds that hold you a prisoner to your own body. You must wake up. But in order to wake up, you will have to sacrifice a piece of yourself; something very valuable to you… then and only then, you will find a piece of yourself your soul had lost many lifetimes ago."

"What must I give away?"

"That only you can answer and you must make that decision today… now… but that won't be quite enough… you must look deep into your heart and search your feelings"

Jeff was more perplexed now than before.

"When you make the decision of sacrifice, the person whose name comes to your lips is the piece your soul has been searching for all you life. When you admit your feelings for that person, and that person admits its own, then and only then you will be free… it sounds simple but it's not. Your soul has failed many times in the past... please Jeff… don't fail this time…"

Thunder rolled and echoed between the huge mountains. Darkness was coming to them, a huge black cloud approaching and devouring everything.

"I have to go… but before I go, there is one other thing… if you succeed and wake up… tell Mark…"

Eddie didn't finish his sentence. The darkness was upon them. Wild wind blew and it carried grains of sand that hurt their eyes. It carried the putrid stench of death, sulphur and decaying flesh.

Jeff's face contorted in pain and his hand grabbed his heart. It felt like he was having a heart attack.

No air.

No breath.

Only pain.

He was dying.

Eddie grabbed him from his shoulders, in a vain effort to take some of the hurt away.

"Eddie…" Jeff whispered between gasps of breath. "You have to go…"

Eddie looked him deep into his eyes in sadness and courage.

"Go… you are an angel… don't let the dark side have you… please… go"

Eddie shook his head agreeing. It was time. He could feel Hell enveloping him and plucking out one by the one the feathers from his invisible wings. He had no more time to spare.

And Jeff knew that if it were up to Eddie, he would have stayed with his to the end.

A single tear ran down his face.

'An angel cries' Jeff thought and he didn't hurt so much any more. Pain had become numbness and consciousness was coming fast. 'I didn't know you could pass out in your dream. But then again, this is no dream'

Eddie leaned to his ear and whispered secretly

"Tell Mark this… tell him to use the glass heart and the feather… tell him that and he will know what to do"

If Jeff had the strength, he would have asked him what he meant. Eddie helped him lay down on the sand. His body was quite limp and his eyes two huge pools of murky water filled with pain and misery.

"I hope to see you again…" Eddie said, hoping that when Jeff would one day die, he would see him in heaven and not rotting and suffering in Hell. He caressed his hair one last time and stepped back, away from the devouring cloud. Jeff's head turned facing the sea and the angel that was leaving him.

It was truly a miraculous thing to behold, as Eddie's wings became visible; two huge white wings coming out of his back. He was shining brighter now that he was away of the darkness. He was expecting to see him fly away like a bird but instead the surrounding light became gradually brighter until he vanished in it.

And then, just like that he was gone.

His hand was still clasping his heart but his eyes were crying. Tears fell on the sand and the last thing he saw was the sea and the waves hitting the beautiful beach.

Then he was engulfed by the dark cloud.

Claws were instantly on his body, scratching, pinching, digging, cutting, bleeding him.

And just like he had done many times before, Jeff screamed and tried to get away.

In the complete darkness Jeff tried to crawl away, but the sand was making it difficult.

And the hands.

They were so strong… and so very cold. Their every touch was taking a little piece of him. He felt them grabbing his ankles and pinning him down.

"Don't resist… relax Jeff… come with us"

Voices were heard next to his ear, soft spoken, female voices sweet as honey. But Jeff knew them all too well to obey them.

"Come with us and the pain will end…"

"NO" he screamed at them

The reaction was a big mocking laugher.

Then the torture began. And the hands came upon him.

He felt their long sharp nails cutting their way up to his thighs, cutting his clothes to pieces, invading his naked flesh.

"You will regret this…" the voices said and this time they were like spikes in his brain.

He felt the hands move on upwards to his chest.

And he felt cold rough wrinkled bony fingers touch his face. Instinctively he closed his eyes. The pain was greater than anything he could remember. The talons that were finger-fucking him, raping him, the nails that were cutting his chest so they could feast on his heart and that horrible smell of decaying death, everything made him scream again and again.

The claws were scratching his face, his cheeks; they were cutting his lips…

And he was once more praying for death.

He wished he wasn't alone. He wished he had someone there with him. His mind out of sheer pain drifted to another place trying to find solace and sanctuary from this nightmare. He remembered his life, his home, his father and his brother, his dogs, the endless days and nights on the road trying to get to the next house show…

But nothing worked. The pain just kept dragging him back.

Then he remembered the words Eddie had told him.

He would have to sacrifice something.

And just like that, in a heartbeat he knew what he had to give away.

'God help me' he thought.

And he opened his eyes.

The claws were on them instantly; digging into his flesh; into the tender matter of his eyes.

Blood ran down his eyes mixing with the tears and the sand.

Laughter was heard from somewhere near him but Jeff couldn't focus any more. He was glad to feel unconsciousness finally claiming him.

In his last moments of torture, with no thought at all, just like he had done with his eyes, he whispered out loud.

"I will always I love you… to the end of my days… till the edge of my soul… God help me… I love you…"

The eyes were finally out with a gut wrenching tearing sound, blood spurting and veins cutting.

Jeff screamed one last word before passing out.

And that last word was as simple as a name. One he had been waiting for all his life.

'Dave'


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 5**

The car came to a stop and the two passengers remained silent and still.

Both were looking outside the rolled up windows savouring the last moments of daylight as it hit their faces. Their adventure the previous night with the forces of evil had been terrifying and for Mark more revealing than he would ever admit to Dave.

'Lucifer's angel… God help us…'

Mark felt despair rising to extreme levels and he had to find a solution… a way out. But the lore, the books and the scriptures he had read had taught him very little. The truth was that their presence throughout the history of mankind was so rare it had almost become a myth even to the church. The rest of the world had simply forgotten their existence.

And now he would have to deal with one of them. The dark angel he had seen had taken the face of the man they were now trying to rescue.

Jeff.

He was thankful that Dave hadn't seen it. He didn't dare think of the complications and the results of such an action. But what did it mean? Why had it taken his face? Was Jeff dead? Was he corrupted?

Or worse…

Had the man they were trying to save already turned to the dark side?

Would they be releasing evil if they took him out of that hospital? Maybe Jeff was safer in there? Maybe the voice he had heard in his room was a trick played by Satan to get them there… maybe Jeff couldn't be awakened by Hell and evil needed them to do its biding by setting Jeff free…

'Set him free? Why Jeff? What role does he have to play in all of this? For what possible reason does Hell still need him?'

"Don't doubt him" Dave almost startled him. He wasn't looking at the dead man next to him. His eyes were still fixed outside.

"Do you know for sure that the person we will take from there will be Jeff?"

"Yes" Dave sounded certain of his words.

"He has tricked us before"

"But that was not Jeff"

"Exactly my point. Even you couldn't see through hell's trick back in the cabin when we were preparing to fight the four horsemen."

"I know… but I think that Jeff didn't know either."

"I just can't help but doubt myself. What if we are wrong?"

Dave looked at Mark for the first time in a while. It was the first time he had heard the dead man doubt himself and his abilities and he truly didn't know what to respond to him.

"We are not wrong." He simply said. He waited for a reply but when Mark didn't say anything, he continued. "I had been feeling so empty all this time away from Jeff… it is not easy to say this words and you are first person to hear them… but I need him. If he was dead, gone to the dark side… I would know… And I know we don't have much time."

Mark nodded. Even though he hadn't said it, he knew that Dave loved Jeff and that he would do anything to save him… even give his life. He only hoped it wouldn't come to that because one couldn't exist without the other.

Because half of one is nothing.

"Trust me on this Mark."

And Mark just knew that his friend was right.

"The sun has set" came a simple statement and Dave turned his gaze out the window once more.

"When do we go in?"

"Midnight"

"What if those things come here? The things we met on the road."

"They have no reason to be here. As far as I know evil knows what is inside Jeff's mind and soul but not what is outside… it can see through his eyes. Jeff knows he is in a hospital but he doesn't know where it is… so I am hoping evil doesn't know too."

"You hope?" Dave asked surprised and Mark nodded.

"If it knew, we wouldn't be here… and you would feel it"

They looked at each other.

Winter was at its peak. Snow covered the surrounding countryside and the trees were completely hidden. Water had turned into frost and little droplets had formed stalactites from the tree branches. The sky was so clear and so dark and the moon was a perfect half circle.

"Rest now" Mark ordered. "We have to keep pour strength. We start in a few hours"

Just like that he closed his eyes and seemingly feel asleep leaving Dave alone with his thoughts. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep but he closed his eyes nonetheless.

This would be a long, cold wait.

***

Midnight came and with it more snow. Frost had formed on the car's windows and cold wind blew around the car. Dave hadn't slept one moment. He had kept his eyes shut though trying to get some rest.

One he wouldn't get, at least not while Jeff was not safe with them.

Mark had used the little time they had to actually rest.

Sleeping was not easy for him since he was a small boy. He used to stay awake for nights on end just staring at the ceiling trying to rest, but no matter what he did, after a while his eyes were wide open again. His teachers had taught him later how to master sleep, empty his mind and relax his body. It wasn't what common people called sleeping, but more of a deep state of relaxation and calmness, some form of separation of his mind from his surroundings.

But at midnight his eyes opened and turned his head to meet Dave's gaze.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asked and Dave motioned a silent 'No'. Mark looked at the car's digital clock.

00:00

"Come. It is time"

Those words rang a little eerie to Dave but he didn't say anything. He followed the dead man out of the car and both walked to the closed iron gate. Not many lights were on and the front yard was not well illuminated.

Mark started walking to the left, passed the gate.

"Where are getting in from?"

"From the back... where the is no light at all. Follow me"

Walking in the thick snow was more difficult than he imagined. The outer walls were long and it took them a good ten minutes to reach the back wall.

There, there was no light.

"I can't see anything" Dave complained. "I can't even see the moon"

"There is a storm coming that's why we can't see it"

Mark took a few steps towards the wall and brought his gloved hand to the bricks, touching them lightly with his fingers. To Dave it seemed as if he was looking for something.

A few moments passed. Then the dead man turned at spoke.

"This is where we are getting inside. The wall is lower on this spot."

Dave walked and stood beside him.

"Listen... we are getting inside from the back door, from the boiler room. It is never locked. Since it is snowing the guard won't be making any rounds on the outer grounds but he will be making more on the inside. I will be going first. We must be quiet. Now, come one follow me and please Dave... inside... do as I tell you without question or any hesitation."

"Yes" he just replied firmly.

With Mark's help, he climbed the wall and in his turn he helped him get up there.

Both men landed almost soundlessly on the slow at the other side of the wall. They were inside.

The walk to the boiler room door was not long but it was made in complete darkness. For a while the only thing they heard was the sound of their footsteps on the snow. When they reached the building, its massiveness was looming above them with its four levels blocking any light. There was no way of knowing if the guard was inside or if he would be coming soon. But they had no time to lose. Mark stuck his ear on the door trying to listen to any sounds coming from inside.

Nothing. Just the sound of the boiler running and heating the building.

They had to act and take a chance. Mark opened the door by breaking the old fashioned lock and walked inside first. Just as Dave was taking his first step inside, the boiler room door, the one that lead to the rest of the building, started to open.

'Shit' Mark thought. He quickly turned and as silently as he could pushed Dave outside, both men falling on the snow and rolling out of sight into the cover of the night.

The guard walked inside and a breath of cold air hit him. He didn't remember that back door open. In fact on his last round he had made sure it was locked. He reached for his side arm and walked slowly to the door.

Stephan Smith was a 45 year old man. He had been the night guard to this place for most of his life and he had a wife and three children. Most nights nothing happened that needed his attention. Sure there was the occasional trouble coming from the hospitalised people, or as he liked to call them, 'happy people' but as far as he could remember nothing had happened in his almost 25 years in this line of work that had made him take out his gun. However his mind froze as he saw the boiler room door wide open and instinctively his hand reached his loaded gun. He felt that he should feel surprised but somehow he wasn't.

Maybe it was because things around here haven't been the same. Maybe it was because of that 'happy person', that young man, Jeff Hardy. He remembered the first night he had looked at him and something inside him had changed. Jeff most of the time was sleeping but the first night, as Stephan as taking his round, Jeff was awake... or so he thought. The door to the room had a small reinforced glass window and as Stephan looked inside Jeff suddenly opened his eyes wide making the guard step back when he saw that they were blood red.

"Stephan... when the time comes... you are going to need that gun to kill them" Then Jeff had uttered the creepiest laugh he had ever heard and then had fallen back to sleep.

That incident had shaken up the guard and since that night he found out that his hand was touching the gun more often than was necessary or than he would like to admit. And he didn't really realise that he spent a lot of his time looking into that glass window at the strange patient.

And tonight, as he was taking steps towards the opened door he knew that this was what Jeff Hardy meant by those words.

Stephan brought his gun forward just as he was about to reach the door. The cold air was making him shiver and his nerves were to the point of breaking. Something inside him told him not to do this, to turn around and walk away, but another inner voice, a stronger one urged him forward. With one quick fluid move he jumped outside and pointed the gun into the darkness.

Where Mark and Dave stood.

But the dead man was quicker and so much stronger. He used his muscular arms to turn the gun away from them by breaking the guard's arm in the process. He turned him around bringing him to a head lock and started squeezing the air away from him. Stephan didn't stand a chance to begin with against the force of the dead man. So when he started to gasp for air, he didn't find it surprising at all.

Dave took the gun that had been lying in the snow and put it in his jacket's pocket. Maybe they would need it later.

"Mark... don't kill him" he said when he saw the guard's eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"He has seen us"

"I don't care... don't kill him. We are not murderers."

"If I don't kill him, he will tell the police and they will hunt us down for breaking and entering and worse... kidnapping"

"Still I prefer that to murder... please"

Mark really wanted to kill that guard because he knew that leaving him alive would cause them more problems than they could handle. Let alone the fact that the guard would have no problem shooting them on the spot if he was given the chance. Just as the guard was about to take his last breath, Mark stopped squeezing and let him fall unconscious on the snow.

"There! Are you happy?"

"Yes, thank you" Dave replied and took Stephan inside the boiler room strapping arms and legs too tightly with the guard's belt. He covered him mouth with a dirty piece of clothing that lay on the table, most likely used to open and close the hot iron door of the boiler.

That guard wouldn't be coming out of it any time soon but it didn't hurt to be careful. And he wouldn't be using his hand for a long time as Mark had broken it in two different places.

With the guard out of the way and his keys in hand, both men walked out of the boiler room to a dimly lit corridor.

The silence in the building was unbearable and sinister. Mark looked at his friend.

"Where is Jeff kept? There are four levels to this place... let your heart and soul guide you"

For a while Dave looked at him as if he had grown two heads. He took one quick glance around him at the naked, ammonia stinking walls and then back at him.

Nothing. He felt nothing.

"I don't feel anything."

"That means that Jeff is not on this floor" the dead man stated. He too looked around him and saw nothing but empty walls and sinister looking green doors that lead to the patients' rooms.

It was easy enough to find his way through the corridors and to the stairs that lead to the first level.

There the scenery wasn't much different. The fact that Dave didn't feel anything so far made his heart sink a little. Mark gave him a meaningful look and when Dave nodded negatively he walked on to the next flight of stairs that lead to the second level.

There the walls weren't white and the doors weren't green. There the walls were grey and the doors were dark red.

"This is it" Dave heard himself say as soon as he stepped on that level. An angry feeling of violence and urgency took him over. This was no place for Jeff. They had to take him out of this place.

Mark let Dave walk first. Batista walked with his head bowed down and his hands around his chest like he was cold. He had his eyes shut and he only opened them every so often to take a look around like he was waking up from a dream and he had to make sure of his surroundings.

It had been almost two hours since their entrance to the asylum, two hours of wondering in the endless corridors when suddenly Dave stopped walking.

"What?" Mark asked alarmed.

Then Dave started running. And he ran fast.

His long strides brought him to a locked red door not any different than the others around. He touched the door with his hands and let a deep breath escape his lips.

"He is in here" he said in a whisper.

Mark came close and looked inside the reinforced window.

And there his was.

Eyes closed, body limp, limbs strapped to the bed. A sorrowful sight to behold. They had to enter the room and get Jeff out of there.

But the door was locked.

Mark took out the guard's keys out if his pocket and tried to figure out which one was Jeff's.

He tried a few at first and it was his sixth try when he found the right one. The door to the room opened soundlessly and he let Dave walk in first.

His first step felt so heavy. The dim light didn't make it easy to see the details of Jeff's face or body. But he knew it was him that lay in that awful bed. He hovered for a while above Jeff's bed as if he was lost in a trance unable to move, speak or hear.

"Hurry up" Mark whispered sternly from the door. "Take him and let's get out of here. We have no time to lose"

A feeling of emergency and fear overtook Dave. Like it had just dawned on him that they were actually kidnapping a person, a friend and he had no idea what they would be doing with him next. Quickly, with shaking hands, he undid the straps around Jeff's wrists and ankles and took him in his arms.

He felt so light.

Now they had to make their way out of that place before dawn. The descended the two levels soundlessly and back to the boiler room. The guard was still unconscious exactly where they had left him, with this broken arm bent in an awkward position.

When the cold air of the winter night hit their faces, it was more sobering than they would like to admit. Dave squeezed Jeff tighter in his arms trying to protect the almost naked friend he was carrying.

Backtracking their steps, they found the spot of the outer wall they had used to get in.

Dave hadn't thought until now how they would be getting out. Getting inside was easy with just the two of them. But now they had an unconscious Jeff to worry about.

"Take out your belt" Mark ordered Batista. "We will use it to tie Jeff around your back so you climb the wall"

Once the belt out and Jeff secured behind Dave's back, Batista helped Mark climb the top of the wall. His climb up was harder than before. Jeff was light but not that light and he had been carrying him down three levels and all those corridors of that asylum.

After two failed attempts, Dave managed to climb up and join the dead man to the top of the wall. There they stayed for a few seconds as Dave was out of breath to the point of exhaustion.

Still he said nothing. He didn't complain. Mark knew that if he asked him, he would say he was almost happy to do it.

They took one look at each other and then Mark slipped down to the other side of the wall. Dave undid his belt and gently let Jeff fall to the strong arms of the dead man. Then he fell down joining both with an ungraceful plunge in the snow.

The run to the car seemed to last forever. The snow seemed to be getting thicker and deeper and their steps so much heavier. The air had picked up pace and snow was falling faster becoming a snow storm. Dave marked that Jeff's lips were blue, as well as his naked hands and feet. Wet long hair stuck to his face forming small ice crystals to their edges.

They reached the car and Jeff was put at the back seat. Dave tiredly but alarmingly looked behind him half expecting alarms and security come running behind him. But no one came. Nothing was heard but his own fast heart beat and the cold winter mercilessly hitting him. He got inside and without a word they drove away, leaving the asylum behind them and hoping they wouldn't see it again.

The heat in the car was welcome and the silence as well. Dave felt he could sleep for days.

Mark had to force himself to stop from speeding. They were safe for now and away with their precious cargo. He looked behind him at Jeff laying soundly. His lips were no longer as blue as before. He thought that it would take much more than heat to make colour or life come back to his cheeks. Dave beside him couldn't take his eyes off of Jeff. He gazed at the unconscious man with a look that Mark couldn't quite discern.

"What is it?" Mark asked.

"Something is wrong" Dave stated still looking at Jeff.

"What?"

"I don't know... something has changed"

At that point Jeff's eyes flew open for just a moment and he took a big gasp of air, like he had been drowning. He started thrashing around, hands and legs flying around desperately. Mark was startled by that sudden awakening and hit the brakes. But the slippery icy road betrayed him and the car swerved to the opposite lane almost hitting another passing car, finally coming to a frost sliding stop to the side of the road.

Jeff at the back was still thrashing and Dave was desperately trying to hold him down. He had managed to grab both his hands when the car stopped.

"Jeff please stop... it is me...Dave..."

But it was like Jeff couldn't listen to him. He was fighting with all the force he had left in his drug weakened body.

Mark reached to grab him as well and calm him down but Jeff had his eyes shut down, screaming like he was being torn apart; like their every touch was burning his skin.

"Please Jeff stop, it's us. We are not going to hurt you" Mark spoke.

Nothing.

"Jeff stop it... Jeff... please... I love you" Dave uttered without thinking what he had said.

And in the blink of an eye, the thrashing was gone. The fighting was over. The screaming had ceased. Jeff relaxed under their touch like he had woken up from a bad dream. He grabbed Dave's hands touching his own and opened his eyes.

Dave's body twitched in disbelief and in surprise he squeezed Jeff tighter.

Outside the storm was raging.

Snow was hitting the car with the force of a thousand whips and in the car three souls had been finally reunited.

Hands were clasping and touching each other and two hearts were searching one another.

Two hearts had come together.

Then the horrible statement came from the lips of the dead man.

"God help us... He is blind"

***

The axe, the bottle, and the rope  
The feeling there really is no more hope  
The thought of the great unknown  
And facing it alone  
The dark, the silent, and the cold  
The feeling I have come to the end of my road  
Yes these are the things I spend my remaining moments with

And the wind blows through my heart  
Shivers me one last time  
As I now reach out in the dark  
No one there

Why did it have to be so hard  
For us to live our lives  
Again I reach out in the dark in despair

The desperation and the snow  
The feeling of finally coming back home  
The melancholy and the hole in the soil so hard and cold

And the wind blows through my heart  
Shivers me one last time  
As I now reach out in the dark  
No one there

Your love for me, my love for you  
Things we somehow managed to lose  
Now there's only the ruthless wind  
To blow right through  
If freezes my heart, my desperate heart  
To think we both will die alone

And the wind blows through my heart  
Shivers me one last time  
As I now reach out in the dark  
No one there

(Sentenced-No One There)


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 6**

********

Warning: this chapter contains serious angst and graphic scenes (murder and rape). If you are not comfortable with it, please don't read.

*******

Jeff had no idea when the clawing and the gnawing and the raping had stopped. He couldn't remember when the monsters had finally left him alone and he had no idea when they would be coming back. He could vaguely remember Eddie coming to his dream.

He wished he could hold on to his face, to the way he had felt when he had seen his angelic form. He wanted to forget his words and wish they were not the truth. He wished to forget everything, go back in time and start over. But he knew that angels didn't lie.

He came to his senses slowly. He found out that he was lying on a hard surface. He wasn't at the beach anymore because he couldn't smell the salt water or feel the soft sand under his touch. His body was aching.

He opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the sky. It had a dark blue and orange color. Tree branches were covering most his view of the sky but still he could easily tell it was almost night fall. Given the horrifying experience he had just had at the beach he was extremely surprised he could see at all. He was expecting to never see the light of the sun again. He sat up and saw that he was sitting in the middle of a concrete road somewhere in the calm suburbs of a big city. There were millions of brown, orange and yellow tree leafs on the street and the soft breeze that every so often blew them away meant that it was autumn.

Jeff was glad that he could see even if this was just another dream.

For it was a dream, there was no mistake about it. His heart sank because he knew what would come soon. He wanted to scream himself out of it, wake up, but there was no way. The drugs were too strong.

He took desperately one look around him. The houses were quit big, almost alike with big front yards and carefully mowed lawns. But there was not one person there. Once more, he was alone.

He stood up and started walking north. The crunchy noise of breaking leafs under his feet was the only sound he could hear. He didn't walk long. His steps brought him near a dead end.

There the first thing he heard was a ball bouncing on the leafs and the concrete. The trees were thicker and the sound was muffled. He wanted to pick up his pace and run there but he couldn't. Instead he kept walking to a torturing slow pace.

He found it terrifying that there wasn't one living soul around. It felt like the end of the world had come and he was the only one left alive. Some doors were ajar and some windows too. There were abandoned bicycles left on some lawns, and some other toys as well. The wind that blew, swept the window curtains giving the area a more sinister feeling.

When he finally reached the sound, he saw that the noises were coming from the dead end. The road was following a circular path around a small round garden full of dead spring flowers.

There Jeff saw the first living persons he had ever met in his dreams.

Six children.

A young boy around the age of eight approached him fearfully. He had longish dark black straight hair and black eyes. His small height and slender form made him look a lot younger. He stood in front of Jeff and looked at him silently.

Hardy looked down at him and then knelt down so he could see eye to eye with the small boy.

"Where are your parents?" he asked him.

"Lost… for ever" he said in his childish voice.

"Are you all alone here with your friends?"

The small boy took one step closer to Jeff, fear diminishing.

"Yes…"

The small boy reached out and touched Jeff's eyes. Jeff wasn't afraid for some reason of the boy. Something in his heart told him he wasn't evil.

"Why are your eyes empty?"

"I… I don't know" Jeff replied not really knowing what he was asking him. As far as he could tell he could see perfectly.

"Will you protect the little ones from them?"

"From who?"

"The dead" the boy said in a whisper, fear coming back to him.

And Jeff with no hesitation and not really thinking he simply said

"Yes"

The small boy fell into his arms and hugged him tightly, clinging onto him for dear life. The other children came close as well. Their faces were relieved and almost happy. Jeff felt touched by the sudden burst of intimacy. Then the small boy left his arms and took him by the hand.

All the children lead him behind a house, to a wooden cabin at the back yard. It stood in the midst of tall aged trees, countless leafs and dried flowers. He entered the cabin alone with the boy, leaving the rest outside. It was getting dark and the only window in the cabin made in quite dark inside to discern. The small boy left his hand and stood behind him. Jeff walk to the cradle at the far wall. Inside there were three new born babies.

'My God' Jeff thought shivering as he thought that those little ones couldn't be more than a few weeks old. He couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Without the proper care, they wouldn't stand a chance in surviving. He reached his hand to touch them when he heard a cracking noise behind him.

He quickly turned around only to see the small boy's body breaking; bones in legs, arms and necks cracking out of place and piercing his skin; his eyes popping out of their sockets with a disgusting spurting sound. Finally after what took an eternity in front of Jeff's eyes, the boy opened his mouth and screamed smoke out of his lungs. Then he collapsed lifeless on the floor.

Then the demon came; a huge monster taking form from the black smoke; huge muscular black body almost nine feet tall, covered in hot tar, two blood shot eyes and matching long nails and fangs emerged just a couple of feet away from Jeff. In the front door five other similar monsters stood growling and Jeff knew that all the other children were dead too. He desperately looked around him trying to find a way out of the cabin.

But there was none. The only exit was blocked by hell's monsters.

And he knew what would follow. He hadn't seen those monsters before but he knew all too well what would follow. He had experienced it many times before. Those monsters wouldn't be satisfied with just ripping him to pieces.

No. Those things would kill the babies and force feed them to him until he vomited blood. Then they would rape him one by one over and over again. They would rip out his arms and legs, they would make him eat his heart… they would put him back together only to do it again and again…

And this time Jeff knew that he wouldn't be able to stand it. This time he knew that he would lose his mind… his sanity…

The monster growled once more and from its mouth blood and saliva dripped on its chest and on the hard wooden floor. Jeff felt fear and anger at the same time rise to his mouth giving him a bitter taste. He took one step back and his waist hit the cradle where the three babies slept.

He knew know what he had to do. The sacrifice he had made only a few moments ago, when he was at the beach, the dead children, the dried flowers and the monsters, all lead him to a dead end; to a choice he dreaded to make.

Sure he had another choice; to sit back and let everything fall apart. Let Hell and the Antichrist rule the planet… watch every living man, woman and child become the subject of the same perversions he was made all this time.

There was no other choice to be made. There was no alternative. No other path to choose from. He had stopped asking himself 'why him' a long time ago. He didn't see it as bravery, gallantry or righteousness on his behalf. In his mind, every man in his shoes would have made the same choices and taken the same paths.

He just couldn't stand to see everything fall apart. Not one moment did it pass from his mind that all this could be just a dream and that he was already insane; that all this was the ravings of a madman. He had gone passed that. Even if he was crazy and this was only in his head, then still he would make the same choices.

He was looking at the babies who were still soundly asleep unaware of the monsters that lurked. He wanted to cry but the sound of heavy footsteps approaching terrified him to this core. With the corner of his eye he saw the monster breathing down his neck and a sob involuntarily escaped his lips. Without thinking he leaned over the cradle to cover the babies with his body, sheltering them from evil as long as he could.

It was in the blink of an eye that the monster's fangs where on him. They bit straight to his neck tearing his flesh. More footsteps came as the rest of them came near him to feast on his flesh. There was a strange smell coming from them and although he knew he shouldn't recognize it, he identified it as the smell of animals in heat.

He clung onto the cradle as long as he could.

He felt more hands grabbing him and pulling him back. He tried to hold onto the bars and shield the babies. Claws tore his back and scratched his legs, tearing the clothes off of him.

"Please… please… no… not that" he begged although there was no one to beg. There was no one to help him.

Rough thick skin touched his flesh and still he held on. One of the babies opened his eyes and looked at him with the wisdom of an old man.

"Thank you for protecting us… you have to let us go now" he heard the baby's voice in his head speaking to him.

"No, please don't leave me… not with them"

"They can't hurt you… this is a dream. And you have to wake up"

A clawed hand forcefully opened his legs apart.

His heart was racing and it felt like it was about to burst. He could hear the blood in his veins pumping rapidly. How can he wake up? How can't they hurt him? Those claws and those fangs feel so real.

And they hurt so much.

The babies under his arms started to fade like white thin smoke.

"Don't go" he said one last time vainly trying to stop them.

"When the time is right and you truly need us, then we will come to you. Thank you Jeff for your sacrifice"

And just like a drop of early spring mist vanishing into the wet soil, the babies faded into nothingness.

And left him alone in this nightmare.

And then they came. They were upon him. Jeff let go of the cradle and he felt his body being pulled back and dropped on the hard floor. All his clothes were gone. He looked up and his eyes met those of the monsters. Six sets of hungry eyes… six monsters that looked at him lustfully. Jeff tried to crawl away but the monsters had already scratched his legs beyond use and repair. There was a large piece of flesh missing from his lower neck and shoulder that made him unable to move using his arms.

Besides there was nowhere he could go.

Jeff thought he saw faint smiles coming from their lips.

The first monster, the one that had come out of the small boy, the leader, approached him and stood above him with its huge muscular legs splayed open showing his massive cock fully erected. With a violent kick to his groin, Jeff curled to a ball of pain all air escaping his lungs.

The monster kicked him once more and another joined him using its leg to flip Jeff to his stomach and keep him down by stepping on his head. Jeff felt the leader leaning close to him. He felt its nasty breath invading his nose and its forked tongue licking his lips.

Its monstrous hands clasped his lower back. Jeff felt it like he was putting his entire weight on his waist and let a scream as he felt a vertebra break. He knew he shouldn't be able to feel anything from his waist down now that his spine had broken, but this was a dream and the monsters were hell's servants and they could do anything.

"It won't be that easy bitch" came a voice straight to his head making him fell like someone was stabbing his brain with a cleaver. The pain of breaking was nothing compared to that of feeling it as it being healed.

"I want you to feel everything we do to you"

What followed Jeff would never forget. He would never forget feeling the cock of the monster pushing inside him, tearing forcefully a path of blood and pain into his body. He would never forget the hurt and the screams coming out of him until his throat was hoarse and no voice could come out. He wouldn't forget as another monster knelt next to his face and shoved its cock into his mouth, raping it and finally spilling its seed forcing him to swallow it.

He wouldn't forget their heavy breaths, the growls, their fangs and claws digging into his flesh taking out chunks of skin and meat and then healing him only to do it again.

He wouldn't forget their leader as he spoke.

"This is your punishment Jeff for defying our lord. This is what you deserve. There is no way out for you. No salvation. The end is near and you will spend an eternity as a bitch in hell. You think this is pain? Wait until Hell gets its hands on you. Then you will know true pain and true disgrace. Every monster in hell and every soul in there will rape you again and again and again…"

Jeff wanted to block out those words and he wished for the end to come.

"The end?" laughed the monster out loud in mockery. It had read his mind. Now there was truly no way out for Jeff. "This won't end unless I say so"

The monster pushed deeper and deeper, faster and faster. Jeff felt blood run down his legs from his ass. He heard clearly the sound of the monster's cock inside him, tearing him in half. The leader grabbed him from the waist once more but this time to speed up his raping. Jeff felt the cock inside him grow as the monster finally spilled its seed.

The leader laughed and when he pulled out it felt like his intestines where pulled as well. The young Hardy wanted to puke. But the monsters wouldn't leave him be.

"Leave you be? We haven't we haven't even started yet" The leader stepped away and barked orders.

"You two are next"

Jeff's mind barely registered the fact that two monsters now were upon him. Two cocks that now tried to gain entry inside him. One managed to put his dick inside him and leaned on Jeff's back to allow the second one enter inside. Jeff felt the stinky breath of death on his face coming from the monster that had straddled him. He could barely breathe with all its weight on top of his back.

Whatever breath he had, it escaped his lungs when the second one managed to open his ass hole enough and put his cock inside. Both monsters began their raping.

More blood ran. Jeff felt life drain away from him as he couldn't breathe at all. His vision blurred but still he could feel them slowly eating away what was left of his sanity. Moans and growls reached his ears, saliva and blood ran down his face from the mouth of the monster on top his back.

But Jeff was finally glad he was slipping away.

"Not so fast" came a voice in his head; the leader's voice.

"No" Jeff screamed. "Not in my head… not in my head". He wouldn't be allowed to pass out. The leader's voice had invaded his mind and his consciousness and it wouldn't let him faint.

Jeff extended his arms and started fighting again. He scratched the floor until his fingers bled and he tried to twist his body free of them. But they were too heavy.

Then Jeff heard more voices, this time they didn't belong to the monsters. They were muffled and they were coming from a great distance.

"…please…. Stop… it's…"

Jeff clawed until all his fingernails had come out. He screamed trying to chase the voice in his head away.

"Please.... stop, it's us. We are not.... hurt you" the voices came closer and closer.

The monsters sped up. The monster on top grabbed Jeff's face and started clawing it and pulling it backwards trying to snap his neck. Jeff started seeing spots in front of his eyes. He wanted to close them but he knew exactly how this would end. The monster's fingers entered his eye sockets and pulled out the eye balls with a disgusting squishing sound. The monster brought them to his mouth tasted the blood and then gave them to their leader who looked at them, smiled and swallowed them, chewing them, blood and eye-whites spurting on its teeth and mouth.

Jeff screamed when he felt his eyes being taken out for a second time. His mind involuntarily drifted away to another pair of eyes he wouldn't be seen again. A pair of eyes he hadn't seen for a very long time. He had been thinking about Dave for a very long time since the time he had been committed... since he had fallen into the dream world. It was him that had kept him going, that had helped him keep his sanity intact. And it was him that now, in the last moment, in the edge of reason that once more he found himself thinking of him.

Speaking him name.

Loving him completely and unconditionally.

"Please help me" Jeff muttered. "Dave help me... I love you" he uttered through the pain and the fighting.

"Jeff stop it... Jeff... please... I love you"

The voice tore through the pain.

It broke the dream and shattered it in a million pieces.

The monsters vanished in a loud chorus of screaming and growling, the pain was gone, the blood disappeared.

And his vision as well.

Jeff had fallen in the darkness but he didn't mind. He was awake and he was safe. Instinctively he grabbed the hands above him and knew they belonged to Dave.

"God help us... He is blind" he heard Mark say.

His eyes were two white orbs with the pupils completely gone and small veins were travelling across the orbs like macabre rivers of blood. He looked at the void beyond Dave's shoulder and his hands were desperately squeezing and searching for comfort.

One nightmare was over.

Another one, worse, was about to begin. And he was at a great disadvantage.

"Dave help me... I can't... I can't see you anymore"


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 7**

The car was still at a halt by the road side.

Snow was falling and the wind blew to the point of being a storm. Frost was gathering at the edges of the windows and the windshield.

"I…I don't understand" muttered Dave. "How did this happen?" he asked and looked at Mark, sadness and desperation distorting his face.

Mark didn't speak. He just looked at Jeff.

"We can't stay here long. We have to go" he said after some moments of thinking.

"Mark…" Dave almost yelled angrily and grabbed the dead man's arm. "What is going on?"

Mark looked at him heatedly and released his arm from Batista's grip.

"Dave…" Jeff spoke trembling from the cold. His broken raspy voice tore the silence between the two large men. His hands were waving in the air searching for Dave's. Dreams and delusions apart, Jeff hadn't felt so scared and alone in his entire life. He was in the darkness, a pitch black and dangerous world with nothing and no one to guide him but his feelings and his heart. He felt so vulnerable and so broken. He needed Dave. He knew that much but how could he tell him that without driving him away? Had he heard correctly that Dave loved him? Or was this just another trick of Hell trying to capture his soul? Or worse… was this another lie? Another sick illusion to fuck with his mind?

So when he uttered the words to Dave, his mind told him to take them back. Chances were this was another dream. His logic screamed to get out of there and start running. He knew he was in a car because he could still hear the engine running. For once he decided to let his mind guide him. He had seen and experienced so many dreams that it made sense that this was another one too. Before Dave could reach his hands and console him, Jeff turned and searched for the door handle.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it trying to hold him back.

"No…. let me go" he yelled and tears started running down his eyes.

Mark's hand involuntarily recoiled when he saw the tears of blood that ran down his face and that gave Jeff enough time to find the handle and open the door.

He was out. Free from them even if it was just for a while.

The cold hit him hard and almost knocked him down. He stumbled in the snow and fell down a couple of times.

"Mark…" he heard Dave scream from the car and both men exited the car chasing after him.

"No…please leave me alone" Jeff begged while he ran in the snow. He was running blindly but he didn't care. All he wanted to get away from the monsters that had taken the form of his friends.

He didn't know that he was running towards the street where other cars passed by. He didn't know that from the turn just ahead a truck was heading his way.

The wind had picked up its pace and blew harder. Jeff's ears were deafened by its howling and couldn't hear the truck heading his way.

"Dave grab him" Mark screamed at Dave who was running frantically behind Jeff.

Jeff heard those words and thought they wanted to grab so they can start their tortures again. He felt the soil under his feet harden and could run faster away from his captors.

The storm that raged made impossible for the truck driver to discern Jeff until it would be too late. Even at a slow speed, he wouldn't stand a chance and he would be crushed to death.

Blinded and deafened by the storm and the fear Jeff kept running.

The truck was a few feet away. It was at the moment Jeff's feet hit the asphalt that he stopped suddenly realizing what was coming his way.

It was at the last moment that Dave reached him and pulled him back, both men falling on the ground with the truck missing him by a few inches.

Jeff lost hope and as he lay on the snow with Dave above him, he started to fight again. For him, the monsters had finally got to him.

"Please don't do this… please I beg of you"

Dave looked at Jeff and wanted to cry. Blood tears coming from those white eyes fell down morbidly staining the perfect white snow. Jeff had grabbed Batista's arms and was putting all the force he had left to get free. But all this time in the asylum and after all the drugs had made him weak.

"Jeff… it's me… I won't hurt you… stop it" he asked as Jeff scratched his cheek. Dave took Hardy's hands in his and held them close to his heart. There was nothing he could say or do that would make Jeff believe him.

Except one thing.

He leaned over and kissed him

A kiss on the lips.

So slow.

And so tender.

Jeff stopped fighting. A kiss like that couldn't come from a monster. The moment their lips touched, Jeff felt like he was waking up from a dream.

"It's me… open your heart Jeff… it is me" he whispered to his mouth as they both lay on the snow.

Jeff kept his eyes closed tears finally drying.

One more kiss… one more…

"It is you" he said. "I have been looking for you" Jeff whispered and his hands clasped at Dave's face mapping every inch of it. "Am I dreaming?" he asked dreading the answer.

His hair was wet from the snow and he was almost naked. His lips and limbs were becoming blue. His body shivered violently from the harsh cold…

But he didn't care.

"No… you are not dreaming… I have been looking for you too… my whole life, it is you I have been searching for… and I am sorry it has taken me so long to realize… I am so sorry Jeff"

Their foreheads touched and they stayed like that for a few moments defying the cold and the storm.

Mark was standing a couple of feet away looking at the scene amazed. He hated to interrupt them but the cold was more than Jeff's frail body and constitution could stand.

"We have to get inside" he said and touched Dave's shoulder slightly.

Like waking up from a dream too, Batista looked at him like he had just realized they were lying on the snow. He shook his head and knelt down. He reached his arms around Jeff's legs and shoulders and picked him up. It was only them he realized how cold Hardy must have been. He wouldn't stop shivering.

Jeff was clinging onto Dave for dear life. Still afraid that it would soon all come to an end, he found it incredible to believe. All the nightmares and the fear, the torture and the rape, the carving, the chewing and the chopping… it was over. He wanted to speak but couldn't. Cold had finally reached his core and numbness made it impossible to react any more. Darkness blinded his eyes but now another more dangerous darkness crept in. His senses began to abandon him and unconsciousness enveloped him slowly but steadily. How ironic would it be if he died from cold now that he had just found Dave?

When they entered the car, the heater was still on but it would take more than that to restore his temperature. Dave sat in the back with Jeff still in his arms trying to warm him up. Jeff was shivering uncontrollably, hands stills clasping tightly Dave's shirt.

Mark started the engine and drove the car.

Now they had Jeff safe with them, the hard part would follow. For now they had to find a place to rest and gather their strength and their thoughts.

They had been driving only a few minutes when Dave spoke alarmed.

"Mark… he is barely breathing… he is not moving"

Mark turned around and looked at Jeff.

He was not moving. His chest showed no signs of breathing. His hands that once held onto Dave, were now limp on his lap. His head had fallen back with his mouth half open and his face a mask of effort and cold.

"Quickly take off your clothes and cover him up with your body. You can't warm him up fast or he will have a heart attack. Let your body heat slowly warm him. Take my coat and cover both of you. We have to keep him as warm as possible." Mark said and removed his leather coat. "Rub gently his arms and legs to keep the blood flowing… Gently!!! We have to find a motel… somewhere… and fast. We have to immerge him in luke-warm water"

Mark stepped on the gas ignoring the slippery road under his wheels. On the back seat, Dave had taken off his clothes, leaving only his underwear on. Undressing Jeff was easy as he only wore a thin hospital gown. He didn't think what he was doing; he just obeyed the dead man's instructions. He hadn't failed them in the past. Once their clothes removed, Dave held Jeff again into his arms rapping Mark's coat around them. The cold of Jeff's body made him gasp but he wouldn't back down. He slowly rubbed his arms.

"He feels so cold" he said shivering from the cold as well.

"Rub his chest. If his stops breathing then give him mouth to mouth"

They passed a street sign barely visible from the snow that was covering it.

It indicated a small town ten miles away. There they would surely find a motel.

Mark stepped on the gas again.

They had to hurry.

***

The sign by the road side read "MOTEL" with bright red letters and another smaller one with yellow letter just below that read "VACANCY".

They had covered the distance in a few minutes. Mark didn't park the car in front of the front-desk because he didn't want the owner to see Jeff. He had no problem procuring them with a room. He didn't want the owner to see who he was riding with. The motel owner had recognized who he was dealing with because he was a wrestling fan. He son was too. But the look on Mark's face, the hardness and the seriousness prevented him from saying anything. He just handed him the keys to the room as far away from the reception as possible and watched him almost run to his car. He was curious to see who he was with so he walked to the door and peaked outside.

Mark ran to his car and waved at Dave to come out. Then he opened the room and went inside turning on the lights. He immediately searched for the bathroom. He went inside and as he stepped in he was partially relieved to see at bathtub. He turned the water on and using his hand, he made sure to fill it with luke-warm water.

Dave had put on his clothes while waiting for Mark to find them a room and rapped Jeff in the dead man's coat. Once the room procured, he took Jeff in his arms followed him inside.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" he asked.

"Yes" Mark sounded sure. "How is he?"

They both looked at Jeff who was laying on the bed half unconscious waiting for the bathtub to fill.

"He is barely breathing… Will this hurt?" he asked and pointed the water.

"A little… just until blood starts flowing again. Come… bring him."

Dave picked up Jeff and put him gently in the water. His body once plunged in the water started to lose its blue color and turn red.

"Is the water too hot?" Dave said and tested it with his fingers. The water was as Mark had told him it should be. Not too cold and not too warm. Both men knelt down beside the bathtub and waited. Jeff's head rested on a folded towel, his breathing slowly but steadily returning to normal.

"Do you think we should tell someone… about what we have done I mean"

Mark rested his back against the wall. Lost deep in his thoughts, it took him a while to respond.

"His father probably… and Matt maybe…"

"Shit… how do we do that?" Dave asked letting exhaustion take over. He was leaning against the bathtub next to Jeff's face. "What if they call the police?"

"The police are already searching… but we didn't leave any fingerprints, tire marks are gone by the snow… and that guard didn't have the time to look at us long enough for a positive I.D… we are safe for now… but I believe we should call his father…"

"I will" came a raspy voice, out of breath. "I will tell my dad"

"Jeff" Dave was ecstatic to hear his voice. He caressed his face and he was a little worried it still felt cold. But he was breathing, he was conscious. He was alive.

And he was blind.

Those deep green eyes were no more. Dave's heart sank when Jeff opened his eyes and they were completely white. Little blood veins still traveled along but the pupils were gone.

Mark was instantly next to him as well feeling his pulse and checking for other signs of trauma.

"Jeff… what happened to your eyes?" the dead man asked reluctantly.

"They took them away… in a dream…" was all Jeff said and fell silent.

"I'm sorry to do this… but who took them? What did they look like? Angels or demons?"

Jeff sat up in the water with Dave's help. He too felt tired and he was still feeling cold. Too cold…

"Monsters" he finally said.

Dave understood that Jeff wanted to get out of the bathtub. The grimaces on Jeff's face revealed the pain he was under due to the frost and the memories it had taken him to access in order to reply.

"Let's get you to bed"

Mark stood alone in the bathroom looking at the two men walking away. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about the questions he had just asked. Maybe he had asked them too soon. But then again, what he knew that awaited them made it imperative that he knew the answers.

And the ones he had been given, he didn't like at all.

If Jeff had lost his eyesight in a dream and by a monster, then what will happen if he should meet Lucifer's Angel? What will their influence be on him? Does Hell still hold sway on him?

Is there a way to know before it's too late? He didn't want to make the same mistakes like before.

Once again he looked at the two men he called his friends. He thought about how they had been dragged into this horror and what price they had paid to be here. Especially Jeff.

Then Jeff stopped walking and turned around towards Mark. As if he had read his thoughts, he smiled.

"There is no place I would rather be than here. The price we have paid is steep… but for me… it was worth losing my eyes. All the dreams and the monsters… it was all worth it… Because I knew I would find the other half of my heart and soul"

Mark walked to him. He touched his cheek gently.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Because 'he' told me that I had to sacrifice something to gain the most important thing."

"Who is 'he'?"

Jeff's smile grew wider.

"Eddie Guerrero" he simply said and started walking again.

Dave helped him sit down on the bed and started to dry him with a large white towel.

"You saw Eddie?" Dave asked while drying his back. "In your dream?"

"Yes… he came to me as… as an angel and he… he helped me"

Dave looked at Mark in silence and met his surprise. Mark had no idea where Eddie fit into this, if he fitted at all but suddenly it made sense to him.

Eddie was a genius!

Because now that Jeff had found his soul mate in Dave, now that their hearts had become one, Hell couldn't control Jeff's soul anymore. It was as if his soul had transformed, changed somehow into something new that Hell couldn't touch. This was the good news.

The bad news was that they still had a fight in front of them and for the first time in his entire life of battling evil, he didn't know all the cards and all the players in the game.

Dave helped Jeff go to bed. He was still shivering and his body was aching. Mark decided to give them some time together and quietly exited the room.

"Thank you" Jeff whispered.

"For what?" Dave looked at him wondering what he meant.

"For not giving up on me even when I had… for coming for me… for finding me"

All these words were whispered between them. Jeff's hands touched Dave's face above him and once again he traced every inch with his fingers. The larger man saw the traces of the drugs in his veins and looked at his face. Jeff had lost his eyes for him… for them… he had lost so much and he felt guilty in some way. There were so many things he wanted to ask him, so many thing she wanted to tell him and promise him. All would have to wait for tomorrow.

Jeff's fingers came to a stop on his lips.

"I want to kiss you again… taste you before I go to sleep"

Dave leaned over slowly and gently brought their lips together. Jeff felt his soft lips on his own and his breath against his. His fingers still on his cheeks, he opened his mouth and let his tongue travel inside Dave's mouth. At first he felt him stiffen like he wasn't expecting it, but almost immediately he melted to his kiss. Their tongues met in a sensual slow dance that both men wanted to last forever. Dave touched Jeff's hair, his neck and let his hand rest upon his chest.

When their kiss ended, both were out of breath. Jeff had his eyes shut and his hands still on Dave's face. He didn't want to ruin their moment by having his grotesque blind eyes open.

"I wish you could see me now" he told the young Hardy. "How happy you make me"

Jeff kept his eyes closed and smiled.

"I don't have to see with my eyes. I can feel as you stand close to me. I can feel it in me."

"Is it too soon to say… say what I feel?"

Jeff's smile grew.

"Jeff all this time we were apart…" Dave started to say but Jeff stopped him.

"No… not tonight… we have time… a moment will come for us… soon"

Jeff relaxed on the bed weariness and pain taking their toll on his weakened body. Dave saw how tired he was.

"You are right… rest now… I will be right here when you wake up… I will always be here for you… always" he mumbled the last words as he saw Jeff slowly drifting to sleep.

"I know" Hardy replied and just like that, he surrendered to a dreamless sweet sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 8**

It was too early in the morning when the telephone rang but he was not asleep. He had been sitting in a chair alone in the dark just thinking and sometimes crying.

Yesterday had been a hard blow to him. He had gone to the hospital for his daily visit to the asylum…

God, he hated that word

and see his young boy only to find the room empty and a bunch of cops hanging around. Criminologists were there as well, or CSI's as they liked to be called these days dusting the room thoroughly for any clues as to where Jeff was.

When he saw the bed empty his mind froze and for a while he thought he would faint. His old heart couldn't take much more. It was then that a cop approached him and helped him sit down to a waiting area. They had made sure he was ok before starting their questions.

Gilbert Hardy was an old but hard man who had raised two fine sons all by himself. He loved them both more than his own life and there was nothing he wouldn't do for them… even give his own life. He figured that both his sons, Jeff and Matt had taken this character feature from him… In Jeff maybe it was a little stronger. His young son was always the dreamer, the visionary, the creative one, the extremist. Even at a very young age Jeff's reactions to anything would be extreme, either too high or too low, too happy or too sad.

And now where was his son?

"Mr. Gilbert Hardy?" the cop asked him politely and Gilbert just shook his head.

"What happened? Where is my boy?" he asked trying to keep back the tears.

"Mr. Hardy your son has been taken, we don't know by whom. As far as we know someone kidnapped him late last night, sometime after midnight. They entered from the back, incapacitating the night guard and took your son"

"Why?"

"Why don't know. We were hoping you could tell us something. Except from you, who else had been around lately?"

Gilbert took some time to think.

"I don't know… lately I was the only one to visit him. My son Matt hasn't been visiting for a while now, it has taken a toll on him seeing his brother like that… so he stopped."

"Anyone else… anyone could be helpful"

"His friends and colleagues haven't been around much. With their line of work, I am not surprised and I don't blame them…"

"I understand that the 'other' case concerning your son Jeff hasn't been closed yet"

By 'other' Gilbert knew that the cop meant the reason behind Jeff winding up in a vegetated delusional state a while ago.

"The police interviewed his friends but none knew what had happened. They told me they went to sleep in their separate rooms and the next morning Jeff was like this and no one knew why… what had happened…"

Gilbert's voice broke upon remembering the first time he had seen his beautiful son in the hospital.

"There were four of his friends with him that day"

"Do you remember their names?"

"Yes… Mark Callaway, his brother Glen Jacobs… um… John Cena and Dave Batista…"

"Has any of them come to visit him?"

"They all came the first day, all except Batista… but my son Matt didn't want them around. He blamed them for a reason. He thought they were responsible. He refused to tell me anything about it. He thought he was protecting me… tell me where is my son? Is he alive?"

"Please sir, calm down. Forensics didn't find anything that suggests your son was injured."

"Jeff is seriously sick… he has fits… he sees terrible things, delusions, nightmares and he has to take medication because if he doesn't he hurts himself… please you have to find him…please find my boy…"

And it was then that Gilbert broke down in tears and endless sobbing. The nurses in the asylum had to give him a mild sedative to calm him down.

It was the next morning and he was sitting near the bedroom window looking outside. It was still snowing. Jeff liked the snow… he loved it. The police had promised to call if they found out anything. Gilbert had called Matt late at night from his room and told him what had happened. Matt had gotten angry at the news and promised his father that he would take the first flight available.

But now he was alone. He was old and it was difficult to restrain his tears. So many questions where filling his mind. He was holding a t shirt that Jeff had painted for his father a couple of years ago. It was the only thing he had from him. Funny thing… it smelled like Jeff.

The phone rang once… twice… it started him out of his thoughts. He walked to the phone sitting by his bed.

"Hello" he said his voice sounding a little broken to him.

There was a long pause but he could hear someone breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" he asked again.

"D… dad?" came a raspy tired voice… a familiar voice… one he was longing to hear.

"Jeff?" Gilbert muttered and sat down on the floor, his body not able to withstand the shock. "Is that you my boy?"

"Dad… yes it's me"

Gilbert felt his breath stop to his throat and uncontrollable sobs came in waves.

"Oh Jeff… where… are you? Are you alright?"

Jeff Hardy was not alright.

****

He had woken up in the early hours of the morning but there was no way he could know that. His mind had started to function in terribly high speeds sometime during his sleep and his eyes had flown open. He was scared at first that he couldn't see. He was still not used to being blind and waking up to pitch black darkness was more horrifying than he ever thought it would be. He thrashed around on his bed screaming.

He had forgotten for a while where he was. He thought his rescue from the asylum was just a dream. He was convinced that Dave and Mark were just a hallucination, a figment of his imagination, of his sick mind.

He had woken up screaming in a bed thinking he was still in the hospital… hopeless, scared and alone. Dave and Mark had come to his side in a second trying to calm him down.

"Calm down… Jeff… stop it" Dave had ordered his friend grabbing his thrashing arms that had managed to land a few rogue punches to his face.

"Stop" Mark's baritone voice had made him halt. His eyes, although blind, looked so scared and frantic. "You are here with us… they can't hurt you anymore… you are safe"

Jeff had immediately relaxed and allowed his body to fall into Dave's embrace. Dave had held him tightly telling him, whispering him, assuring him he was alright.

A few moments had passed and the sun was almost out. Mark had pulled the curtains and allowed the first rays to warm him. It had been a long night and none of them had managed to get the sleep they needed.

"I have to call my father" Jeff had spoken from Dave's arms.

And there he was now, calling his father. Mark stood near the window. Dave had wanted to leave Jeff alone make his call but he wouldn't let him leave. He had asked him to stay.

And he did that. He was next to him now that Jeff was hearing his father on the other end of the line.

He was there now that he was crying, tears of blood rolling down his face. Dave looked at the dead man silently asking why his tears were bloody. Mark didn't know and simply shook his head.

This was getting weirder by the moment and Mark didn't know what to do.

"Dad… yes it's me"

"Oh Jeff… where… are you? Are you alright?"

"Yes… I'm alright… I'm sorry… so sorry" he said and started to sob, desperately trying to keep his tears back. He could hear that his father wasn't so strong as to control his emotions. However through his tears he managed to speak.

"Where are you? Who took you?"

"I am safe dad… that's all I can tell you… I am sorry for leaving you like that… I really am… but this is something I have to do…"

"What do you have to do… please my son… come back…"

"I can't go back there dad…"

"You don't have to go there. Just come back and we'll go home… back to Cameron… please… that's all I want."

Jeff put the phone on his lap sobs making his frail body convulse. Dave still held him, his own tears falling as well. This was killing the young Hardy.

"I can't go home dad. If I don't do this, then we are all going…"

He wanted to say that they were all going to die but Mark quick on the uptake stopped him by placing a hand on his mouth. No one could know what they were going to do. They were in enough danger as it is.

"Jeff?"

"I'm here… listen dad I have to go"

"No, please Jeff… please come back…"

"I love you dad… I really am going to miss you"

"I love you too my son"

"Please tell Matt I love him."

"No please Jeff… please…"

But Jeff hung up the phone and let himself wallow in tears. He buried his face in Dave's chest and held onto him tightly.

"It's ok Jeff" Dave said softly. "You are going to be with your family again…"

Jeff cried staining Dave's t shirt with bloody tears.

"No… I won't" he replied.

"How do you know that?" Mark asked coming near them.

"Something inside tells me that this is the last time I have spoken to my father. I don't know what it is… I simply know"

Mark looked again at Dave at met his speechless gaze.

"I am sorry Jeff… so sorry" Mark finally said and squeezed the young man's knee. "I never meant for none of this to happen"

"This isn't your fault Mark. There is one good thing that has come out of this… I have found you" he said and turned at Dave. "All of it, all the pain, the suffering, the nightmares… the sacrifice, my eyes… all of it was worth it just to find you. I just wish I hadn't caused so much pain to my family"

"What do we do now?" Dave asked wipping Jeff's tears away.

Mark closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He walked to the window again and looked outside. The sun was up. It was morning. They were closed. And they would remain closed. As long as Lucifer's Angel was out there, they would remain closed.

"Mark?" Dave asked again.

He took a chair and sat down. He looked at them thoughtfully.

"There are two things that must be done. First we must make sure that Hell doesn't control Jeff."

"How do we do that?" Jeff asked.

"I understand that evil has made most of its torture to you through dreams. I believe it is through dreams that we can see if it still holds sway to you. If it took a part of your soul before you found your soul mate in Dave"

"I don't understand" Dave said confused.

"Well, before, when we were fighting the horsemen, Hell controlled Jeff even if he didn't realize it at the time. It wasn't until the last moment that it took over and made Jeff betray us. I believe that should you have admitted your love for each other back then, then none of this would have happened. You see, as long as you were alone, you soul Jeff was manipulated by Hell. Now however… now that you have found your soul-mates, your souls have changed. I think your love has purged all evil from inside you Jeff. Your souls have merged into one. But we still have to make sure."

"What is the second thing?" Dave spoke again.

Mark wiped his face with his large palms. They had to know.

"On our drive to the asylum… we met something that mankind hasn't seen for ages:

"What?" Jeff asked, his hands squeezing tighter Dave's.

"It was what we have come to call Lucifer's Angel. There hasn't been one around for millennia and we have almost forgotten about them. We know very little… I know very little about them"

"Can we defeat them?" Dave asked.

"I can't say yet. We have to go to Sonora Dessert."

"Arizona? Why?"

"She is there, isn't she?" Jeff asked as if in a trance. He didn't know where this question had come from. It just left his lips and hit Mark like thunder.

Mark lowered his head and muttered.

"She… she was there… once… before… it's the only place I can find an answer."

Mark looked away to the window half expecting to see this terrible Angel right outside. Dave was speechless. He had never seen Mark like this, clueless and maybe afraid. Jeff sensed the tension in the room and felt so guilty.

"I'm sorry… I don't know where it came from… I shouldn't have said that"

"Don't be sorry… if we going to fight this, then you have to know the whole story. But not now; not here. We have to go to Sonora desert, to the cabin. There I will tell you everything."

Mark got up and walked to the door. He opened it and more sun came to the room.

"I'll be waiting in the car" he said and stepped outside.

Dave looked as he walked away wondering what he would tell them when they got to Sonora. Jeff relaxed in his arms.

"It's a beautiful day isn't it?" he asked

Dave chuckled.

"Yes… how did you know?"

"I can feel it… in you"

The sun had risen in the horizon beyond snowy mountains and white scenery greeted them. The road before them was long and the fight that was before them had uncertain outcome. But they still had some time with each other. They still had some hope in their hearts.

***

Whose woods these are I think I know.  
His house is in the village, though;  
He will not see me stopping here  
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer  
To stop without a farmhouse near  
Between the woods and frozen lake  
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake  
To ask if there's some mistake.  
The only other sound's the sweep  
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,  
But I have promises to keep,  
And miles to go before I sleep,  
And miles to go before I sleep.

**(Robert Frost-****Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening)**


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 9**

From loss into your embrace  
I fled the fear and the dark of day  
Like an angel of fallen grace  
My broken wings can't hold my weight  
I came so close that I felt the flames  
I came so close that I'll never be safe again  
I'd give anything to find a way to leave the fear and evacuate

Come reach inside my inner fear  
Come feel my sorrow and my tears  
My broken wings can't hold my weight  
through the dark of day

Leave that guilt-stained cross behind  
Free your arms do it one by one  
It's not your fault you are not to blame  
Your wing-clipped past should not bring you shame  
And the years that you still endured  
should work as strength to see past it all

Come reach inside my inner fear  
Come feel my sorrow and my tears  
My broken wings can't hold my weight  
through the dark of day  
All hope's been burnt to ashes  
And I'm so tired of hiding the bruises  
My broken wings can't take me  
through the dark of day

Deep cuts will not help you heal  
The pain inflicted's just false relief  
Precious moments where you can dream  
of a day when you too can feel

Come reach inside my inner fear  
Come feel my sorrow and my tears  
My broken wings can't hold my weight  
through the dark of day

(Evergrey-Broken Wings)

***

Only a couple of hours had passed since the start of their journey south towards Arizona, a journey that would last approximately three days of non-stop driving, when Jeff opened his window. He peeped out his head and smelled the air. The cold and the dampness told him there was still snow outside.

It was normal for this time of the year. After all it was December, and Christmas was only six days away.

"Could you stop please?" Jeff pleaded the driver.

"Are you alright?" Dave turned his head and looked back at Jeff.

"Yeah… I'm fine… I just want to step outside for a while. There is still snow, isn't there?"

"Yes there is… a lot" Dave smiled figuring out what Jeff wanted to do.

The car came to a slow stop by the road side. Mark got out and Dave helped Jeff out of their vehicle. Together they walked to the adjacent field. The snow was thin where the soil met the asphalt but they had to take only a couple of steps in and they where knee deep in snow. Jeff let go of Dave's hand and brought his own hands down feeling the snow. He let it pass though his fingers, cooling him.

"Maybe you shouldn't be in the snow after what happened last night" Mark noted still standing by the road side.

"Just for a little while" Dave told him meaningfully. Jeff really seemed to enjoy the snow.

And he did. He was cold, there was no doubt about it and he wished he was better dressed so he could stay longer in it, but it still felt so good. He stood up again and turned facing Dave. He smiled and let his body fall backwards, completely submerging in it.

"What are you doing you loon?" Dave laughed. "Get up before you soak to the bone"

Jeff laughed. The sun was strong and high above casting powerful rays on them. He knew it was temporary. Soon another snow storm would come. He put his arm up and let Dave lift him up.

"I wish we could stay a little while longer. I wish I could see the snow… I wish I could see your face" Jeff said as Dave was wiping the snow away from his clothes.

Dave's smile faded and he became serious.

That was guilt. He felt his heart squeeze and his breath catch up in his throat. He took Jeff's hands and held them close to his heart.

"Jeff I am sorry you had to give up your eyes"

"Don't be" he said and stepped closer, his face nearing Dave's. He cupped his face and brought his lips closer to the softest kiss Batista had ever felt. Their tongues touched and danced together for a few moments just enjoying the moment with each other. When their lips parted both men were out of breath.

"I am not sorry… because of this… I think I wouldn't have this if I still had my eyes"

"How do you know that?"

"Trust me… I know…" he said and fell in Dave's arms, into safety.

"This feels right to me" Jeff whispered.

Dave held him tighter, his breath finally calming down and his heart speed up.

"You feel right to me too" he said.

Both stayed in each other's arms savoring every moment like it was their last. Mark didn't want to interrupt them, but they were standing in the snow and they had a lot of miles to cover.

"Come on, we really have to go". He wanted to tell them that he didn't like it out here. It felt wrong. He felt they were too exposed to the elements and to a possible attack from the Angel. He wanted to avoid them as best as he could until he was at Sonora. Until he had an answer.

He had barely the time to see a snowball coming his way but he deflected it and it fell with a popping sound on the car. He turned to look angrily at the two men only to find a second one fall straight to his face. Both were laughing at him.

"Did you get him?" asked Jeff.

"Oh yeah" Dave bragged. "The second time"

"Is he angry?"

"Well. He looks that way"

"Are we in trouble?"

Mark looked at them and really wanted to get angry. He hated the snow and the cold. But one look at the happy face of Dave and especially Jeff was enough to melt the iciness and the anger.

"Stop acting like children and come back here." Mark made his voice a little angrier just to mess up with them.

"Sounds like we are in trouble" Jeff answered his own question. Together they headed for the car. When they were just a couple of feet away from him Mark turned around and picked up the snow from the windshield. In a matter of moments, he had gathered a descent snowball. Dave busy with helping his friend walk through the snow didn't notice it and when he finally stepped on the asphalt, Mark turned around and served him the snowball the way someone would smear a birthday cake to his face. He looked at him and smiled widely.

"Now you are not in trouble"

Dave stood with snow on his face for a few seconds letting what had just happened sink in.

"What was that?" Jeff asked him.

"That was Mark's idea of a joke" Dave replied unhappily.

"Oh so it was fun when you were doing it but now that I'm doing it, it's no fun eh?" Mark pointed out before entering the car.

"He snowballed you?" Jeff choked a laugh.

"Hey… stop laughing… it was your idea" Dave accused him and wiped away the snow from his face. "And I'm paying for it"

"You got away with it easy…" Mark shouted from inside the car. "You were lucky I didn't chokeslam you right there on the asphalt… now get inside before you freeze to death"

Dave chuckled and led Jeff to the car. In a few seconds they were rolling again.

"Would you please roll up the windows Jeff?" the dead man asked but it wasn't really a question but more like an order. But Hardy obeyed willingly.

"Do you think we are in danger out here?" Dave asked.

Mark nodded.

"Yes… I think they are out there, closer than we think."

"Lucifer's Angel?" Jeff asked from the back seat.

"Among other things"

Jeff didn't want to know what those other things were. He really didn't need to. He had seen enough monsters as it is. And he didn't want to know what they would do if they found them.

"What do they want from us?" Dave asked.

"I don't know. I am hoping to get some answers at Sonora."

No one else spoke. Suddenly all the fun mood was gone and it seemed like the cold from outside was pouring into their hearts destroying everything in its pass… leaving only fear and misery.

***

Like Mark had said, their drive lasted three days of nonstop driving. Mark did all the driving except on rare occasions were Dave would relieve him of his duty. But at nights, Mark was adamant on doing the driving himself leaving the others to sleep.

Jeff kept his eyes closed most of the time and he was eerily silent spooking his friends. The answers he gave to their questions were brief, monosyllabic almost and as the miles passed and they drew closer to Sonora, his mood was getting worse. It was like he was slowly fading like the snow melting under the sun.

Mark had seen this coming. The incident in the snow was just a reaction, a last glimpse of happiness the two men would ever have together. Even if things went according to plan, the end would most likely not be happy. And he figured that deep in his heart, the young Hardy knew that all too well. All the memories from his dreams and his illusions were coming back to the surface fast. Jeff was remembering all the tortures…

And Mark knew about torture. And about dreams… He hadn't told anyone, not even his own brother Glen… but part of his training was plunging into the dream land, facing those monsters and trying to defeat them. But that was him, the dead man, the undertaker… to reach the point of venturing into that horrible dream land, he had had a lot of training, he had done a lot of studying… and still the first times, he had lost a couple of battles. But his teachers were all there to guide him, protect him and sometimes wake him up before the real torture began.

But poor Jeff… he was all alone, with no one to guide him, no one to tell him what to do… he had almost reached the point of madness when he had seen Eddie Guerrero appearing and guiding him; a single helping hand to pull him to the surface long enough for them to rescue him; an angel who bore bad news about sacrifices and destinies. Mark was amazed at how Jeff had held on.

It was early in the afternoon when they were approaching Sonora. The days were shorter at this time of year and the sun was casting its last sunrays on them. Silence dominated in the car. Jeff was leaning his head against the window, eyes closed as always. Mark had noticed his hand reaching out from time to time, touching ever so lightly Dave's shoulder in front of him, like he was trying to make sure this wasn't a dream… that he was still there. He didn't know if Dave knew because he didn't make any move to acknowledge it, but he had caught him staring at Jeff through the side mirror for hours on end.

They had passed Phoenix a long time ago and crossed the Gila River and they headed south. To the west, Yuma and to the east, Tuscon and the Santa Cruz River. To the south, Puerto Penasco and the Gulf. And smack in middle was Sonora. The dessert.

Their destination.

They entered the desert road just as the sun was setting. They had passed the last village a long time ago. They had stopped to put some gas in and buy some provisions, all in silence and deep thought.

Dave had taken the opportunity and went to sit with Jeff in the back seat. He had taken him his arms, cradling him, feeling him, smelling him. Jeff had shared another kiss with him when Mark was inside the store and had asked him to hold him tight.

"Are you cold?" Dave had asked feeling him shaking a little.

"No"

"Are you afraid?"

"Yes"

"Of what?"

"Of what will happen tonight… and tomorrow… of losing you, of dying… of what Mark has to do… of hell… Satan… the Antichrist... I am scared of everything" Jeff had said his voice breaking but managing to hold back his emotions from surfacing.

"You have nothing to fear… I am here with you to the end… Mark too"

"It's just that… now that we are here, in the desert, I can't help but having this feeling, a bad one… with each passing mile, it keeps growing"

Dave had held him knowing Jeff was right. He was sharing that feeling, that growing terror.

The car came a stop in front of a house. It was nighttime but still no stars or moon were visible in the sky. Nothing but darkness. The house, or more like a wooden cabin stood lonely and abandoned with windows closed with wooden planks nailed on top, the door locked with a padlock and dust of many years covering everything. Mark got out of the car alone.

He stood in front of the porch for a few moments lost in thoughts and past memories. He had to force himself out of them by shaking his head. He took a rusty key out of his pocket and looked at it. Then he turned and gazed at the two men in the car, waving them to follow him.

He stepped on the porch, his boots crunching the dust. They key slid to the padlock and unlocked it like it was new. Dave and Jeff followed. Strangely enough he interior wasn't dusty at all. Old wooden furniture decorated the main room that consisted of a living room and the kitchen. A door to the right led to the bath room and one next to it led to the bedroom.

"We are here" Dave said.

"Yes we are finally home" Mark spoke and walked further inside.

He had come home.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 10**

It was December the 23rd when the three men arrived at the cabin in the middle of Sonora desert. Christmas was only two days away but nothing reminded them the holidays and the Christmas spirit. Contrary to where they had come from, from the snow and the cold, in the desert it was quite hot during the day and cold at night,. Still, it was a dry land. Nothing grew on those parts but cactus. Rocks decorated the scenery with lizards and scorpions as the only living creatures seen.

The cabin was an old and lonely place. Dave couldn't figure out why mark had built a house in here, in the middle of nowhere… literally.

Mark was in the far corner of the main room, lighting candles all around. His face looked tired but it wasn't from the long drive. It seemed that this place was somehow dear to him and it cost him emotionally to be there. But Dave didn't want to push him with questions that probably hurt too much. He knew that the answers would soon come.

Maybe sooner than he would like to.

Mark spread the candles around the room illuminating it sufficiently. He motioned for Batista to bring on Jeff and sit him in a chair beside a wooden old table. The table was awkwardly made, a little twisted legs and rough in the edges. But it looked too used. Groves marred the surface and small bits were missing. The coating was long gone and a lonely round big candle stood in the middle among old wax leftovers.

All the windows remained closed and boarded up. Mark brought their stuff inside and closed the door, locking it tightly from the inside.

"What does it look like, this house?" Jeff asked Dave hearing him sitting next in another chair, who squeaked under his weight.

"It is old… wooden. All the windows closed and boarded up. It is simple. We are sitting in the middle of the main room. It has one table and four chairs. In the back left corner there are a bunch of books piled on top of the other, and a small red ball. The kitchen is by the entrance, to the left. There are also two doors on the right wall. In guessing it's the bathroom and the bedroom… that's it"

Jeff remained silent.

"Where is Mark? I can't hear him"

"He has gone in the bedroom"

More silence.

"Dave… can you bring me the ball please?"

"The old ball? Why?"

"I don't know… I need to feel it in my hands"

Dave was a little surprised by the request. He was reluctant to bring it. It looked like a ball a small child would use to play. And as far as he knew Mark didn't have any children. Still it was weird. Maybe it belonged to the past. A secret past that they weren't meant to know. But Jeff seemed to know what he was doing.

On the other hand, Jeff the moment he stepped inside the room, a strangle feeling overtook him. Suddenly he felt hot, sweat rolling from his temple. Soon a headache began to form at the back if his head and started to spread. He couldn't hear Mark anymore and what was worse…

He couldn't feel Dave. From the moment they had taken him from the hospital, Jeff could always feel somehow what Dave was feeling. From the moment they had kissed for the first time in the snow, it was like a small silver thread was formed that connected them. Sometimes the vibrations of the thread was very strong and powerful and other times it was faint… but it was always there, and it was the only thing that kept Jeff from feeling scared and lonely in his darkness.

But as soon as they had stepped inside, this thread was severed and for a few seconds Jeff thought he was deaf. He didn't know if Dave had noticed his grip that had become stronger on the larger man. He wanted the contact because he was more afraid now that the connection was lost.

He was sitting in that chair when suddenly he heard whispers coming from deeper in the house. He wanted to scream when he realized what it was he heard whispering to him.

When Dave had described him the room and the ball, Jeff knew that he had to have it, he had to touch it. It was important somehow to hold it.

Dave brought him the ball and before giving it to Hardy, Mark came out of the room.

"What are you doing with that? It doesn't belong to you. Put it back where you took it from… NOW!" He yelled and stepped dangerously closer.

Dave speechless was about to do so when Jeff stopped him

"Please Mark… I asked him to get it for me… because…"

"Because what?" he asked angrily. Jeff face became terrified and with blind eyes he looked near the place where Mark's voice was coming from.

"Because I can hear him… I can hear his voice… his screams"

Mark's eyes softened and tears formed desperately wanting to be released.

"How…?" he whispered and took a step back holding the small ball.

"Jeff… who did you hear?" Dave asked sitting down in front of him, taking his hands in his own.

Jeff lowered his face.

"I can hear his son… I can hear him yelling, screaming, drowning in blood. I can hear him dying" he said finally letting blood tears roll. "Mark I am so sorry…" he looked up once more and begged. "I never meant to cause you pain… I… I just wanted to hold the ball… maybe then the voices would stop."

"Can you still hear them… the voices" Dave asked.

Jeff nodded.

"Yes…" he mumbled.

Mark had back-stepped all the way to the wall holding the red ball in his huge palms. His face was a mask of terror and sadness.

"How can it be that you know about my son?"

"I don't know… from the moment I entered the house, I can't feel you Dave… I could feel you always from the moment we kissed… at all times, I could sense you inside my heart and my head… but now nothing… it feels like I am truly lost in the darkness with no one to guide me. My head feels like it's about to split in half and I can't think of anything else but those screams… how much I want to make them go away."

Mark stepped close and took one look at the red ball in his hands. He reluctantly placed it in Jeff's hands. He walked to the other side of the table and sat down heavily in a used chair.

None spoke. Jeff and Dave knew that an explanation would soon come. Mark didn't have to explain anything but it felt like he could use some confession. The time had come after all those years to let someone know…

Let someone in.

Jeff held the ball tightly in his hands, a look of serenity spreading across his face. The headache remained… but the voices had quieted.

"It feels like a lifetime ago…" Mark started, his elbows resting on his knees and his eyes fixed on the floor. "Must be a lifetime ago…" He seemed to mumble the first words, not really making any sense. Both the other two men waited patiently, holding hands tightly.

"I met her near Phoenix one morning. She was walking down a street… she wasn't anything special… no one seemed to look at her… no one was seeing her… but to me… she was.. she still is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The moment I saw her, my breath was caught and my heart raced. I felt like I had a fever. One glance at her and I couldn't move. So I stood there on the street looking at her as she passed me by still as a statue. She had captured me with one look.

And she saw me. She stopped walking and stood in front of me silent, eyes wide open, clear and honest… and she smiled at me. Like she could see in my heart, in my soul what I was… like I was standing naked in front of her… and she didn't judge me… she just smiled and took my hand in hers…"

A pause. Deep breath.

"We got married not long after that and got a home in the city. She said she always liked the desert and the calmness of it. We bought this cabin so we could come here as often as we could… I hadn't told her anything about my training, my education or my 'gifts'… I wanted to protect her from the evil in the world… and she never asked any questions. She knew what I did, what made me travel for days on end wasn't just wrestling… she could feel it was something more. But she never asked… and I loved her more for it.

Soon after… my son was born… and I was the happiest man on earth. I was determined to leave all the evil and the demons, the ghosts and hell behind me… I was ready to be just a wrestler and take care of my family."

Another pause. The air in the cabin felt stale to Jeff suddenly. His headache grew.

"But they wouldn't leave me alone… the worse thing about my work is that when you look into the eyes of evil, it looks back… it sees you and it never forgets. It never lets you go. Never. One day, while I was traveling with the WWE, she took my son and went to the cabin for the weekend.

I never saw her again… I searched for her everywhere. I came here hoping to find her."

Mark broke in tears burying his face in his palms.

"I don't know what happened or who did it… she was killed, murdered. Her blood was all over the walls, her body mutilated, cut into pieces… my son… my child… was killed… his head cut off and his body chewed by some monster…"

Jeff got up and fumbled his way around the table to Mark. He knelt down in front of him, touched his face and kissed the tears away. Mark's tears subsided. Jeff's touch was soothing.

"I spent a lot of time here, alone grieving… hating… crying… then I decided it was time to take revenge and find out who had done such a thing. So I started training again. Training my body and my soul. One night, while I was meditating… she came. At first it was like a dream. It felt like I had fallen asleep. She was nothing more than a passing blurry image, a feeling… but it was all it took. I held onto it, to that image… and I searched for her.

And I drifted beyond time and space… and every day seemed like an eternity. And I found her"

"What do you mean?" Dave asked calmly.

"Sometimes, when someone dies violently, the spirit cannot cross over. It lingers until the wrong is corrected…"

"She is a ghost?" Jeff asked.

"She is bound to this place"

"Did she tell you who did it?"

"No… for some reason she can't. I have asked her time and time again… but her anger for her death and our son's passing prevents her from telling me."

"Mark… why have we come here?" Dave asked reluctantly.

Mark took Jeff's hands and kissed them thankfully. He looked at the blind man and then at Batista like some big weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He needed to share his story with someone and now that he had done that, he felt so relieved.

"We have come here because it's the only place I can reach her… it's the only place I can to connect with her"

"Can she help us?" Jeff inquired.

"I think there some things she can tell us. I can ask her about Lucifer's angel. I think being a ghost allows her access to some places… she can hear things that spirits whisper in the darkness… I need to see her"

"Then you shall see her" the young Hardy said and handed Mark the ball back. "Thank you for trusting us Mark." The dead man took the ball in his hands and looked at it sadly.

"I just wish…" he started to say, but stopped. He didn't know what he could have done if he had been there for his family. He probably would have been killed. He didn't know then what he knew now. "I just I knew that she didn't suffer. That my boy, my son, didn't suffer."

Jeff smiled at him and came close to a hug. Mark hesitantly accepted the hug and let himself relax letting a deep breath out.

"Trust me when I say this… your son's death was quick. He didn't suffer" he whispered to his ear.

"How do you know?" Mark said, his voice breaking, clutching Jeff tighter.

"I can feel him in this room. He was afraid when they came, but his death was fast and painless"

Then the hug ended. Dave helped the blind man sit back down to his chair.

"If you feel the boy then do you know what killed them?" Dave questioned.

"No… I think what I feel is what Mark's son felt. He didn't know what it was that killed him, so I don't know… I can only sense him… and even that has started to fade"

Dave sat back down. All men needed to relax and rest.

"We can't lose time" Mark announced and got up. "It's December 23rd and soon it will be Christmas Eve. We have to hurry before Christmas"

"Why?" Batista asked tiredly.

"It is simple." He said and brought his bag from the bedroom. "December 21st is the day with the longest night and the shortest day. Normally, daytime should start becoming longer the next day, but for some reason, the longest nighttime lasts three days, and it is on December 25th that the day starts to become longer. In religion, that symbolizes the victory of good over evil. In reality, those three days are our only chance to defeat evil. In those days evil is stronger but less focused. It cannot center on a particular place or person. Our fight has to end before daybreak of December the 25th"

"What happens if it doesn't?" Dave asked.

"Then evil will be able to focus all its power on us."

"What do we do now? It's the 23rd and we have a few hours left of night."

Mark nodded in agreement.

"We have to hurry then."

"What are we going to do?"

The dead man took a deep breath and opened his bag.

"First I will contact my wife and I am going to need your help"

"Why?" again Dave enquired.

"Because I'm afraid I won't be able to find my way back to you alone" he looked at them meaningfully but unafraid. "Let's begin"

***

Dear little lad  
Here's the story of my life  
I lived on the moon  
Grey flying snakes along  
Mountains of destiny while  
The three tailed moneys  
Were drawing the stars  
Light from the Sun and I  
Hide myself on the dark side, alone  
I've run so far  
To find my way  
Then I dream again.. alone

Dear little boy, listen  
To voices of your soul  
It showed you the way of  
Silence and peace  
Follow your thought and fly  
Choosing all the things that you desire  
Giant waves, fireflies..  
Your dream will be your only shell  
Your secrets, your hiding place, my son  
Don't let them try  
To crush your brain  
Let you go far  
..my son

**(Kwoon- I Lived On The Moon)**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 11**

Night was still lingering outside; a dark starless night; clouds covering the moon. The cabin was locked from the inside and no living soul could enter. The boarded up windows didn't allow the candle light outside. No one could know they were inside, living or dead.

"So how do we contact a ghost?" Dave asked in all seriousness. In his entire life he had never thought he would ever ask that question.

Mark had taken his bag from the table and was searching for something. He took out white chalk and three big white candles. He walked to the center of the room and drew a circle about seven feet wide. Then he drew an isosceles triangle on the inside of the circle and in each corner he placed a candle. Then we walked back to the table and took out a black candle and an eight inch hunting knife.

"Come" he motioned them close to him.

Dave and Jeff got up and slowly walk to him. Jeff had a strange feeling about this and his headache wasn't getting any better. Still it was something he could handle… for now.

"Would you please stand on one corner of the triangle?" he told Mark. The big man obeyed and took the corner, with his back turned on the front door. Mark helped Jeff stand on the corner, facing the bedroom and he took the corner opposite Batista.

"In front of each one of us, there is a white candle. Each one has to light it on his own and say "in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit, amen"

He placed in Jeff's hand a lighter.

"You have to light it up by yourself. Can you do that?"

"I will try" Jeff said and smiled awkwardly. He bent his knees and with his hand searched the candle. He let his fingers trace the wick and used the lighter to light it up. It took him a while for he was no used to the darkness. But soon he felt the wick come to life and the warmth of the candle spread to his palm. He stood up and before handing the lighter he said.

"In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit, Amen"

He held the lighter to his right and Dave took it. He lit up his own candle and spoke the same words out loud. The he handed it to Mark. He however did not do the same thing. Instead he took it, lit up his own and before speaking the words, he walked to the center of the triangle and the dead center of the circle and placed the black candle down. He took out the knife and held it in his palm.

"Forgive us Lord for what we about to do here tonight. Forgive us from our sins and save us from our trespasses. In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit, Amen."

Then he turned and looked at the two men. Dave was looking at him with a hint of fear about what he was going to do with that huge knife. Jeff's face was a mask of fear and discomfort. Standing there alone, with no one to guide him, he was starting to develop a fear of the dark. The headache was growing too.

"We have to make a blood sacrifice. Just a small amount of blood to be shed on top of our white candles" he informed them. He stood up and walked to his own spot. He used the edge of the blade and cut his hand. The small drops of crimson blood ran and dropped on top of his white candle, making a hissing sound. Dave followed soon and Jeff too.

Soon a smell of blood spread in the room, mixing with the candle scent and the stale air of the house.

"Now, close your eyes" Mark ordered them, "and empty your mind and your soul from everything. Let the fear, and the sorrow go… there must be nothing inside you. Focus on the sound of the candle flames"

For a few minutes nothing was happening. Mark stood immobile. He tried to empty his thoughts and feelings away. One by one he plucked them out like weeds from a garden. He took out the sorrow, the memories of his family, the tiredness, the guilt, the fear, the anger, the love… until there was nothing left.

Nothing.

He was empty.

He felt he ground become liquid under his feet, like water was invading the room, rising slowly. Then he saw stars shining behind his closed eyes, and for a moment it felt like he was having a stroke. But he knew better. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, soundlessly. Then wind picked up from out of nowhere; a soft breeze that mixed the scent of earth and water along with the blood, the candles and the stale air.

"I know you are here my love" Mark spoke out loud. I can smell you, I can feel you…"

Whispers echoed in the house, hissing, moans and screams, all at once, falling and bouncing from one wall to another.

"Please, my love, I know now… I know…" he said and his voice broke. "I know it was you back at the hotel… it was you who told me to save Jeff… it was you all along… please my love… come to me… I need you" and he let his tears fall freely.

Jeff stood still more afraid and more in pain than ever before. The whispers and the screams had come back to him in full force the moment Mark had lit up the black candle. He was trying to hold on but then the wind came… and the voices… her voice echoed in his head… and those screams. He heard screams, terrifying yelling, gurgling noises, flesh tearing, metal on flesh, muscles and bones breaking… everything and all at once, hitting him like a freight train.

He couldn't empty his mind and his soul like the dead man had told them to. He heard Mark speaking from a distance as if he was standing very far away. The smell became almost unbearable and he wanted to vomit.

The he felt a touch… someone touching his skin… fingers caressing his cheek and suddenly he stood still like he was petrified, unable to move and too scared to react. Those couldn't be the hands of Dave or Mark. They were too delicate to be theirs. He wanted to speak but his mouth didn't respond.

Then he felt another hand on him. Both hands traveled across his face, touching him as lightly as a feather.

Suddenly, those hands grew fingernails and came to his temple. They grabbed him digging them into his flesh and held his head with the force of a vice.

And he screamed falling to his knees holding his head.

Mark opened his eyes despite knowing he shouldn't have. Opposite of him was Dave who had his eyes open too looking at Jeff in despair wanting to go near him. He looked at the dead man silently asking him to approach the young man who writhing in pain. But Mark signaled him not to.

"Is that you my love?" Mark asked using a loving calm voice.

Jeff had stopped screaming. Tears of blood were rivers upon his face, pain distorting his characteristics. He was still holding his head mumbling.

"Please let me go… please let me go"

Then he felt the grip of the two hands tighten and the nails digging deeper. He uttered a blood curling scream and fell on the ground like a ragged doll.

"Mark please" Dave begged ready to jump and help his friend.

His love.

But Mark still stopped him by giving him an angry glance.

Both looked at the fallen man. Mark wanted to choose his words carefully now that he had finally realized what had just taken place.

It was something he hadn't witnessed; something he had only read about in books. And as far as he knew none of his teachers had ever seen something like that actually taking place.

A ghost physically hurting the living; bleeding him; causing him pain in order to use his body as a host.

"Please stop" Mark spoke tenderly to Jeff.

Then Jeff opened his eyes. Two black orbs looked at him in hatred and anger. But he still couldn't move. He lay on the wooden floor and looked hatefully.

"Is that you?" Mark asked hoping that the ghost inside Jeff was that of his wife.

Jeff then laughed blood spilling from his mouth; a laughter that didn't belong to him.

"Yes… my love" Jeff spoke hissing the words as he spoke them, more blood coming out.

"Why are you still here?"

"Don't you know? I died here. Our son died here" and Jeff started shed tears.

"What happened? That night"

Jeff yelled and screamed, his body twisting and jerking savagely as if he was possessed by a demon.

"He came… alone… and he… spoke… he did… he made me…"

Incoherent words were spoken and Jeff's body curled in a fetal position and then suddenly stretched and jerked once.

"Who came my love? Please tell me… I have to know"

The young man with great effort sat on his knees and looked at the dead man.

"Lucifer's angel" he simply said leaving the other men stunned.

No one spoke for a few moments. It was hard to understand anything. Then Jeff continued.

"He came that night… at first we thought it was you… it had your face… but then he came in… and he changed… it… changed… our son screamed… he said he was Lucifer's angel… he was so beautiful but so terrifying. He… said I had to kill our son… he made me… cut his head. He said if I didn't then he would take his innocent soul… he would make him suffer for all eternity… so I did…"

Jeff's face dropped and the ghost inside him wept.

Wind blew stronger. When he looked up again, his face was angry.

"Then they came… monsters… horrifying creatures with claws and fangs… and they ate his body before eating me alive"

Mark was losing the battle. He was losing sanity. He had to react but what he was being told was simply numbing him.

"Why did you take Jeff's body?" Dave asked ignoring the previous looks and the instructions of Mark.

The ghost looked at him and smiled.

"Because he has seen… he has been to the other side. He has tasted and felt the evil…"

"Please help us defeat them before it's too late… tell us what to do" Dave asked.

"I don't know… Lucifer's angel cannot be destroyed. Like evil cannot stop existing. As long as man lives in this world, then evil will continue to be created, thrive and prosper. It is the sin all the living carry to their death. And every one pays… in the end… everyone." The ghost said and smiled bitterly.

"Help us release you from this prison… help us save you" Batista begged.

"You must find a way to kill the angel."

"How can we do that?" Mark asked waking from his trance.

"I don't know. I linger in a place of shadows… I am alone… but…" the ghost stopped suddenly "the man whose body I possess knows how to kill the angel… he knows a way to set me free"

Dave and Mark looked at each other at a loss of words.

How could Jeff know how to kill an angel of darkness… one he didn't know existed a few days ago? Could something have happened in Jeff while he was at the hospital, something in his dreams that had told him how to kill him?

Could his wife's soul really be saved?

"How do we stop hell from taking Jeff's soul? Can you tell us?" Mark asked.

Jeff's face fell in despair and sorrow.

"You have to stop them from claiming his soul. It is the only one hell can use to bring forth the antichrist. You must find a way to lead Jeff's soul into heaven"

Dave's eyes opened in surprise. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing.

"No…" he whispered.

The ghost looked at him sadly. Then it turned and looked at Mark.

"I love you so much… I miss you" it said to him "but I have to go now… I will see you some day… we will be together again"

"No… please… don't go… stay" Mark pleaded.

Jeff spat more blood from his mouth.

"I have to go. If I stay, this body will break and your friend will die"

Mark raised his hand towards the young Hardy in a vain effort to stop his wife's spirit from leaving.

"Goodbye my love. We won't be seeing each other again on this side… I love you forever and always"

"I love you" Mark stuttered.

Jeff's body fell backwards, limp, a soft moan escaping is lips as he fit the floor. Mark realizing it was over, ran to his side and picked him up quickly, taking his head in his arms, cradling him.

"Jeff…wake up" e whispered wiping away the blood from his face using his own cloths. "Please, wake up"

Mark came and knelt beside him. He touched the young man's forehead and searched frantically his neck for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he found a vein pumping blood.

"He is alive… he's just unconscious. Let's take him to the bedroom and let him sleep for a while"

Batista carried him to the bedroom. He placed him on a soft double bed carefully and covered him up with a blanked. He leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. Jeff showed no sign of waking up.

When he exited the bedroom he found that Mark had collected all the candles and the knife and had put them back in his bag. He was sitting in the chair he had used before, lost in thought. Dave joined him.

It was a silence both needed. After the events that had taken place, their minds were tired, their souls in turmoil and their hearts in despair. Dave's was in fear as well. But he had to break the silence.

"I don't understand"

Mark didn't look at him. He was looking the floor like he had done while he was telling them his story. He looked so tired.

"How can your wife know about Lucifer's angel? If it hasn't been around for centuries, then why kill your family?"

"I don't know… I try to reason this… and the only thing I come up with is that the angel was looking for me… back then… it wanted to kill me… but spirits can't find me because I am protected by ancient spells my teachers performed on me. So it killed my family trying to push me over the edge; make me lose my mind; maybe kill myself. It didn't want me here, now… helping you and Jeff."

"So it knew all along what hell's plans were for Jeff… then why didn't it do anything all those years ago? Why now?"

"Because the angel and hell were waiting for the opportune moment."

"And what was that?"

"For the horsemen to ride free"

Dave blinked in surprise.

"But we killed them… we won" he stuttered remembering the events of the past.

"No… Glen and John defeated their horsemen… but the black and the pale remain. They can't fight us, not now that they don't have the red and the white with them. They know they will lose the battle. Instead they joined forces with hell and worse… with the devil."

"Why Jeff?" Dave asked his voice barely a whisper.

"I don't know why. Luck… maybe… or perhaps Jeff's soul is old and evil wants an old soul"

"I don't get it"

"Old souls are wise, powerful and difficult to corrupt. I'm guessing Jeff's soul is old and evil wants it. If the antichrist walks with Jeff's soul, then it will be impossible to defeat. Only the second coming will be able to stop him."

"Judgment Day"

"Yes. The day the dead and the living are judged. The end of the world."

"So… what does it mean? I mean for us? What do we do? What did she mean when she told us that we have to find a way to lead Jeff's soul into heaven? Mark… I don't want to lose him… not now that I have found him. I can't lose him" Dave was desperate.

Mark looked up and met his gaze.

He knew what the ghost meant.

Jeff would have to die in order for them to win, but they would have to find a way to guide his soul to heaven.

And he had no idea how to do that. How to kill a friend. How to guide a soul to heaven.

Maybe they could use a real angel to guide him. An angel of God.

Maybe.

But still, Jeff had to die.

And what if hell and Lucifer's angel attacked them first.

A new day was downing. Christmas eve. December 24th. Mark knew that evil would rather act after that, when it would be able to focus its strength on them and strike them full force.

No, whatever had to happen, it would have to take place today.

Before midnight.

"I have something in mind" he said finally.

"What?"

"Let me think about it a little first. Prepare and form a plan… with a little luck… it might work… maybe" he mumbled his last words. Dave just looked at him and waited.

"Go… rest." He told Batista. He looked at him with honest bright eyes. "Go be with Jeff… today might be your last day together."

Dave looked back a little scared at the last announcement. It hadn't occurred to him that he might not see his love again and suddenly he felt pain. His heart was breaking. He couldn't lose him… Losing him would kill him.

He nodded and got up. He walked to the bedroom door and stopped to look at the dead man. He looked back at him.

"I will let you know when it's time…" he informed him and took his bag in his lap. He took out an old leather bound black book and started to read its pages.

Dave gave him a glance, opened the door and went inside the bedroom. He looked at the sleeping Jeff.

These probably were their last hours together.

His heart was aching.

He just took one look at the young Hardy and he felt warmth coming to him again. He approached the bed and lay next to him. He put his arms around him and took a big breath allowing Jeff's smell take over him.

For a few moments all he could hear was Jeff's breathing. He caressed his hair and felt relaxed.

Sleep took him without any warning.

***

The faint blaze of the candle  
of my life slowly dying  
like a fire in the pouring rain  
No sparks of hope inside  
No shooting stars on my sky  
On broken wings, no flying high

Another night, another demise  
Cadaverous wind blowing cold as ice  
I'll let the wind blow out the light  
Cause it gets more painful every time I die

Out of strength to fight  
I cannot take another night  
I cannot take it no more  
Lust of light slips through my fingers  
Like blood drops on my arms  
Black candle wax has buried me

Another night, another demise  
Cadaverous wind blowing cold as ice  
I'll let the wind blow out the light  
Cause it gets more painful every time I die.

**(Children of Bodom-Every Time I Die)**


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 12**

He didn't know when sleep had taken him. He remembered lying next to Jeff, smelling his scent, his skin, his hair.

He remembered his last thought before sleeping being that this was probably the last night together.

Their last night.

He couldn't tell exactly what happened, but something in his dreams stirred and for no reason his eyes opened suddenly like something bad was about to happen. He searched for Jeff next to him but didn't find him there. Frantically he sat up and looked around the room. It was dark and his vision took a while to adjust but in a few moments he saw him.

Jeff was standing by the window. It was closed and boarded up but still there were small cracks letting the sun rays enter the room. Jeff's blind eyes were open, looking absent mindedly outside and sun light was hitting them. A strange tint of orange color was warming parts of his face. He wished he could remove the wooden planks that blocked the sun light so he could feel the warmth on him completely. He had tried removing the planks, but he wasn't as strong as he used to be.

'The medication' he had thought. His let his thought travel to his father and his brother. He wished he could see them one last time. But maybe this was for the best. He wasn't sure he could stand seeing them only to be forced to part with them. He thought of Dave.

To the mere thought of him his heart skipped a beat. So many feelings and so many thoughts. No regrets… not anymore. He couldn't afford any regrets. It was strange how in the middle of this fear and evil, he could still smile at the thought of him; how his heart warmed and he was able to feel happy when he didn't know if either of them would still be alive come Christmas. But there was nothing he wouldn't do for his family, for Mark and for Dave.

Especially Dave.

Dave looked at him in silence. Jeff had removed his shirt and he stood there half naked with a strange look on his face.

"What are you thinking?" Dave asked and his voice came out barely a whisper.

Jeff didn't speak. He placed a hand on the window feeling the warm glass. Dave thought about what Mark had told him earlier, about how Jeff's soul was old and although he hadn't admitted then that he didn't understand, now, looking at his love, he knew what he meant.

There was something strange always going on with Jeff. Edge had told him once that he wanted to spend one day in the head of Jeff Hardy just to see what's going on in there. Dave now knew now that all the strangeness, the creativity, the imagination and all the beauty came from his soul. Only those touched by God could have such a soul. Only an old soul could gather all those elements and combine them together in the magnificent result he was seeing right now. Only time could give the soul the white aura that surrounded him. And although Jeff barely spoke those days, Dave somehow knew what he felt.

Ever since they had taken him from the hospital, Dave felt a connection to Jeff. He couldn't read his mind but he could feel what was in his young heart.

He kept looking at him from the bed, admiring him, his fine lines, his body, his long hair, his tattoos that travelled from his hand to his neck and back ear.

"I know you are afraid" Dave added.

Jeff turned to his direction and smiled bitterly.

"Last time we were preparing to fight, I was ready to die… I had accepted my role and I did it willingly. I was ready to go, cross to the other side and finally see what lies ahead." He dropped his head sadly.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Losing you"

There.

Two simple words.

Two words that shattered the silence.

Dave sat up and looked troubled.

"Jeff you are not going to lose me… you didn't lose me before and you won't lose me again…"

"But I did… I did lose you before" Jeff said and a blood tear ran down his cheek.

Dave sat up and went close to him. He took his hand in his and caressed the tear away.

"And it took me a long time to realize… a lot of pain and a lot of torture to know… I can't lose you again… I just can't"

Dave took him in his arms and held him closely while Jeff's sobs surfaced. The young Hardy put his arms around him and held him tightly.

"I promise…" Dave started to say but Jeff cut him off.

"Don't make a promise you can't hold" he begged.

Dave took his face in his hands. Jeff's all white eyes didn't bother him, he didn't find them disgusting despite the blood that marred them. He simply couldn't get enough of him. He couldn't ever stop admiring his beauty. If the eyes are the mirrors of the soul then in Jeff's case, the eyes were a gateway.

"I promise you… whatever befall… I will never leave you… I will follow you even to depths of Hell"

"No" Jeff whispered fearing what that promise meant; what would happen if hell indeed took him.

"Yes… I love you Jeff… I think I always have… even if you die, I will follow"

"I don't want you to die" Jeff begged.

"I don't want you to die either"

"I just…" Jeff stuttered, "I love you…"

They stayed for a while, hugged. Jeff's skin was softer that Dave would have imagined. He caressed his back and neck. He trailed his fingers across his spine and felt the shivers on his skin.

"Dave" Jeff spoke after a while. He broke their hug and looked up at him, hands still one around the other.

"What is it?"

"Make love to me"

It wasn't an order or a plead. It was what he felt and what he wanted. It was what he needed.

What they needed to have.

Even if that was their last day together, they owed it to themselves.

Dave didn't speak. Instead he leaned and taking Jeff's chin with his fingers, he brought their faces close. Their lips had touched before, but this time a surge of electricity travelled through their bodies when they kissed. His hand rested upon the nook his neck, just where his tattoo lay. He didn't have to say yes. Dave wanted this more than anything.

The kiss deepened and lips parted, letting their tongues engage in a sensual dance. The slow dance slowly picked up speed as more emotions surfaced.

Love.

Longing.

Lust.

Desire.

Pleasure.

Love.

Love.

The kiss became a torrent. Their hands caressed each other bodies, searching, touching, grabbing. When their lips parted, both were out of breath.

Dave took Jeff in his arms and gently put him on the bed.

"Are you sure?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes"

Dave removed his t shirt and threw it on the floor. Jeff was already half naked. He was nervous. They were both. This was the first time either man had ever been with another man. It didn't feel strange or awkward. Jeff searched the zipper of Dave's jeans and with delicate fingers, unzipped it. Dave removed his jeans and his underwear revealing an already throbbing erection. He placed his hands on Jeff's waist and slowly removed the sweat pants and the underwear he was wearing.

Jeff was ready as well, his cock erected.

Dave gently pushed Jeff down on the bed. He took a moment to admire him. He wanted to remember every inch of his body.

"I wish I could see your face" Jeff said.

"I wish I could give you my eyes to see"

He leaned over and for the first time their naked bodies touched. Jeff gasped at the touch, his cock becoming more erected.

Dave knew this was Jeff's first time and he didn't want to hurt him. He put a finger in his mouth and using some spit, he started massaging Jeff's anus. It felt weird at first, but soon the finger moved forward. Jeff gasped and his hands grabbed Dave's shoulders.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No" Jeff breathed.

"We can take it slow"

"I want you inside me"

Dave put another finger inside, opening the anus more so he wouldn't hurt him after. He went on for a while until suddenly he found what he was looking for; the prostate gland.

The moment his finger touched it, Jeff moaned louder his cock throbbing.

"It feels so good" he mumbled.

It was the sign Dave was waiting for. He removed his fingers and gently put his cock in the opening. It slipped right in.

Dave remained still for a few seconds savoring the feeling; the tightness, the warmth and the pleasure. For a moment he felt like he was falling; like his consciousness was fading. Then instinctively he began moving inside slowly letting Jeff get used to his size.

Jeff had his eyes closed when Dave entered him. He really wished he had eyes to see. But the feeling was intense. The pleasure was making him moan and he wanted to scream. At first the fingers inside him, hitting his prostate made his insides melt and surrender to his touch. Now, Dave was inside him and the pleasure was more…

And he wanted more.

For Jeff the feeling was the same; he too felt like losing touch with reality. But then the sensation changed and he felt warmth spread throughout his body; like submerging in warm water.

Dave pushed inside and his cock hit the prostate again. Jeff moaned louder and he bit his lip to prevent himself from screaming.

Batista looked down at the man who was taking so much pleasure from him. He loved how the young Hardy was loving it so much. He leaned over and their chests touched. He kept moving inside and outside feeling blood rushing through their bodies and sweat running down.

"Jeff… I… I love you" he whispered to his ear as his moves become faster.

Jeff was unable to speak. All the emotions were rushing from his anus to his cock and to his brain, like small electrical discharges. He felt so much love, happiness and joy.

He felt so complete.

Whole.

Dave felt he was climaxing and wanting to give Jeff more pleasure, took his cock and started to jerk him off while he was making love to him. The moves became faster. Jeff's hands had grabbed the bed sheets. He couldn't hold on any more.

Neither man could.

"Dave… I…" he mumbled and he came as he body started to shiver, tremble and shudder. Simultaneously, Dave's movements stopped and he too came inside him.

Jeff in the middle of fast breaths and endless shudders for a moment saw something… for a while it was like he had found his eyesight again.

And he saw him… he saw his face above him. He was calm and he was happy. Jeff knew that he too was complete.

Then the light was gone and he plunged again in the darkness. But he didn't care. Now he knew. He didn't need his eyes to see Dave. They had become one and they would forever remain united.

He smiled. Dave leaned over and kissed him. Their tongues met again this time in a slow dance. He lay next to hit and took him in his arms. He kissed his neck and savored his scent again.

"I saw you" he whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"When we came together… for a few moments, I saw you…"

Dave alarmed turned him over facing him but his eyes were still white.

"It's gone now… but it's ok… don't look so disappointed. I don't need it to see you…"

"It's strange but I feel something inside me has changed. It is like my heart and my mind are one… I feel complete, happy…"

Jeff laughed.

"It's what I feel… what we feel. We are soul mates… we are destined to be together. We have been looking for each other all our lives. I have been looking for you in past lives. I have finally found you and now I am whole… we are complete. We are one. We cannot live apart. What we feel we feel it together."

"We are one now" Dave simply said.

And they were right. Two souls had come together and that was all it took. All the universe converged to this point in time, to two people uniting.

Maybe it was destiny.

Or maybe it was God's will… God's way to helping them in this fight against evil.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Together they stayed holding each other until sleep claimed them again.

They didn't know how much time they had spent sleeping but there was a soft knock on the door.

Dave and Jeff woke up in a start. No light was coming from the cracks on the wooden planks covering the window. No sun light.

Just moon light.

Mark's calm and steady voice echoed from the other side.

"Wake up… it is time"

***

Tomorrow's taking me

away from you  
Like a jealous lover  
Kiss me one last time  
Before I go down this  
broken road I follow  
You will leave me torn  
and sting me like  
A thorn from a dying rose  
The saddest scent of you  
will cling to me I know

I will run to you  
When my journey is over  
Wait for me  
Keep our love alive  
I will dream of you  
'till I reach the sun  
Then I'll turn around  
and run to you

If I stay with you and linger here  
Another moment  
I will fade into the scenery  
You wouldn't even see me  
I've got nothing left to offer you  
It's not that I don't care  
All I ask is that you think of me I swear

I will run to you  
When my journey is over  
Wait for me  
Keep our love alive  
I will dream of you  
'till I reach the sun  
Then I'll turn around  
and run to you

I hate to see you cry  
The way you look away  
Makes me wanna die

Run to you  
Wait for me  
Keep our love alive  
I will dream of you  
'till I reach the sun  
Then I'll turn around  
and run to you

**(The Rasmus****-Run to You)**


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 13**

Mark's voice reverberated in the room. Its baritone hue revealed concern and determination.

"Wake up… it is time" he had spoken.

Jeff sat up with frantic eyes, fear starting to consume him. Dave touched his arm to stop him from fearing. Jeff turned his head slightly above his right shoulder.

"I thought… for a moment…"

"What?"

"That it was all a dream; that none of this was real… that I was back at the hospital."

Dave sat up next to him and took him in his arms. Jeff buried his face in his chest and took a deep breath. His fists clasped tightly at him, like a small child trying to find safety in his father's arms. Then suddenly, his breath evened and looked up. He gave Batista a soft kiss.

"I won't let anything happen to you" he whispered softly.

Dave couldn't understand the sudden change of attitude. Wasn't Jeff the one just now to be afraid?

"I am still afraid" Jeff replied sensing Dave's questions. "I just wanted you to know… that come what may… whether you should live or die… I will follow"

Dave wanted to smile at the vow. Not long ago he had made the same one. But the danger they would be facing made it impossible to be happy.

"Our souls are one. Our hearts are united forever. I know now… I can't exist without you. I never could…"

"Jeff… I love you"

Dave leaned and kissed him tenderly. Both men didn't want to part. Outside the window, Mark awaited and worse… a fight.

To the death probably.

They broke their kiss but still their foreheads remained in touch. Dave caressed Jeff's hair and face. He traced his cheeks, his nose, his chin, his ears, his neck. Finally, he touched his lips, those full lips he couldn't stop kissing.

Jeff broke the touch. He had his blind eyes closed. He didn't want to ruin the moment by having what he thought his disgusting eyes open. He brought his delicate fingers up and taking Dave's hands in his, kissed them.

"Let me see you once more" he spoke softly and brought his hands up to Dave's face. With the tip of his fingers he started by touching the forehead. Inch by inch he travelled down to his eyebrows, his cheekbones and his cheeks. He touched lightly his chin and then went up again touching his eyes, his eyelashes and his nose. Then lastly, like he had done, Jeff touched his lips. There he stayed for a while. He took his time tracing the contour, trying to remember every part of it, every small detail. Dave couldn't help but leaving a tear drop.

"Don't cry" Jeff begged.

"I just wish…" he stopped.

"What do you wish for?"

"I just wish we had more time"

"I am thankful we had the time we had."

He smiled.

"Come on… let's go" then he added and started to stand up.

***

Mark had spent all the time he had sitting in the chair, reading an old book. He wanted to give the two men some time alone… they deserved that much. He had taken the book his master had given him many years ago and had started reading every page of it. It had been a long time since he had last done that but maybe he had missed something, maybe there was something about Lucifer's Angels he hadn't noticed before… maybe there was a way…

He had spent hours reading and re-reading every page, every line and every word searching, trying to read between the lines for a hidden message but in vein. Frustration and anger built up. The first hours of the morning had passed so fast and then noon came and went with no results.

Afternoon soon came and the sun was beginning to set. Mark was reading the last page of the book with his head supported by his massive hands. His eyes fell in the end, on something his teacher had written:

'_I give you my book my son… _

_May it guide you whenever you need it_

_Always remember to trust thyself._

_Trust your knowledge and your abilities_

_And there will be no stopping you.'_

'No stopping you' he repeated in his head… he still couldn't understand what his teacher meant by that. He had told him once that his powers were great and only is mortal mind was keeping him from unleashing them. There was nothing he wouldn't be able to do. The only thing that kept those powers from manifesting was his mind and the limits he thought that man had.

Mark closed the book angrily. But he was mortal. He was a man. He had limits.

Hadn't he?

What if his teacher was right? What if there was more to him? Maybe he hadn't been in a situation before where he had to break the limitations. Maybe this was the chance to be more… become more…

But still… defeat hell? Only God could do that…

Maybe… Mark stopped dead on his tracks his mind racing with thousands miles a second. His memory went back… far back… and it felt like he was searching a needle in a haystack with the lights off. He needed to focus… and soon. He needed a focal point… something living. He remembered something his teacher had told him on the first day of his first lesson. He had told him that in dangerous situations, when he will be searching for answers, it is best to look in the eyes of the enemy. There and only there he would find the answer.

Suddenly he knew what he had to do. Jeff's eyes were once the eyes of the enemy. He may not be the enemy now, but he was touched by Hell and he still bared its mark. If anything, this mark was now stronger because hell wanted to use him as a vessel to bring forth the Antichrist. He had to look into his eyes, albeit blind. He had to use them to focus and the solution would come. He smiled bitterly. The solution wouldn't come without a heavy price; revealing their location to Lucifer's angel. He took a deep breath and held it for a while.

He stood up and knocked on the bedroom door.

"Wake up… it is time"

The sun was half set. After a while both men exited the room and found that Mark had moved the table and the chairs to a corner. He had drawn a black circle in the middle of the room, where a while ago they had called his wife's spirit.

Mark took one look at them. They both had a calm and serene look upon their faces. They held hands.

That was good. Better than he had hoped for.

"We are ready" Dave said.

Mark looked at them for a moment.

"Before we start… I need to gain access to a memory and I'm going to need you Jeff to do that"

"Ok" the young Hardy said. "Tell me what to do"

"I need you to stand in the circle and keep your eyes open"

"Ok…" he mumbled and walked awkwardly to the circle. Mark helped him stand in the middle facing him. "Would you mind telling me what's going to happen?"

"I need to access a memory of mine of many years ago. I need a focal point… something living and I think your eyes, the blindness, the white and the blood will help me"

Jeff felt a little uneasy about the last statement but didn't say anything; he just stood still and waited. Mark placed his hands on Jeff's shoulders and stared into his eyes. He looked at them, saw the liquid white, the small veins that travelled across the orbs, the small amounts of blood that seemed to be oozing from them. He looked at the blood and soon it seemed like he was looking at a river of crimson water. The room started to fade into nothingness. Everything blurred and then all became black. Mark lost touch with his body. Jeff and Dave vanished from the room and only those eyes remained.

He felt like falling in the void; an endless fall with endless exits to thousands of memories. It felt like forever.

He felt hands trying to grab him. He felt claws trying to scratch him. But the fall was so fast… he felt his hands grabbing Jeff's shoulders tighter, as if he was trying to get a hold on… he wanted to stop falling. But he couldn't. If he didn't stop then he would be forever lost in the shadow world.

Then two hands grabbed his face and the fall was over.

Mark let his mind relax and open again to access his memories. He was standing in a beach but the sand was white… like grated pearls. Two rivers travelled. One on his left and one on his right.

Two rivers of blood

Jeff's eyes.

He knelt down and took a handful of white sand. It hurt his hand as soon as he touched it.

It wasn't sand.

It was pulverized pearl and shattered glass. He looked at his palm and saw it bleed.

He walked to the edge of the river and looked inside the blood. He couldn't see himself mirroring in the surface. It was thick and dark red… almost black. He looked beyond the river. In the distance he saw more rivers, canals, small lakes and ponds… all made of blood. And in the horizon nothing but a white and yellow shimmer.

He knelt down and plunged his hand in the blood.

An echo of a scream reached his ears, but it was faint. Like it was coming from afar… from a dream world.

He removed his hand and looked at it. It was bloodied. It surprised him to see it like that. He didn't know what he had been expecting to happen.

Without realizing what he was doing, he brought his hand up and tasted the blood. It tasted bitter, metallic, like blood ought to taste like. He didn't have the chance to ponder on it more. He felt tremors invading his body, and soon he was on the ground shaking and trembling like he was having some kind of seizure. The glass and the pearls from the sand broke his skin and he began to bleed too.

A voice reached his ears, clear as a bell this time. It wasn't the same as the echo before; it was the voice of his master. It was speaking to him but Mark was in so much pain, he couldn't hear what he was saying.

"My…son…" it spoke.

The glass entered his skin, more entered in his flesh and his muscles. And he screamed.

"The path to…"

He screamed as more glass entered his head while he was writhing on the ground.

"… the sacrifice of…"

The echo came again and this time it came from the river of blood. The surface stirred as if a torrent was passing and giant waves of blood rose. They hit Mark with terrible force and before he realized he would drown in blood he felt two hands on his face lifting him up, removing him from the beach and through the void towards to surface. He felt his body travelling back through the same void he had travelled before, the same claws trying to grab him.

When Mark came to, he was still standing in the middle of the room. When he opened his eyes and saw, he immediately removed his hands from Jeff.

"I am sorry" the dead man mumbled.

Jeff was knelt down on the wooden floor, eyes all red with blood, crimson tears marring his skin. Dave was holding him from behind. If he let go, he would fall down.

"Why did you do that?" Dave asked out of breath.

But the look on Mark's face told him he had no idea what had taken place out there in reality. He only knew what he had seen deep in his subconscious. Mark felt spent and knelt down in front of Jeff, his body tired. He tried to catch his breath. He looked at his hands and his body but no wounds were visible… nothing had hurt him. It was all in his head. He looked at the young man.

Jeff was in pain but he was alive.

"You almost killed him" Dave sounded angry.

"I don't know… what happened?"

"You grabbed him by the shoulders… and you squeezed with all your force. Jeff tried to resist but you didn't seem to listen. You brought him down to his knees. Still he resisted and then…" Dave was furious.

"What?" the dead man asked still trying to catch his breath.

"You tried to gouge his eyes out"

Mark's breath caught in his neck. His eyes opened in surprise unable to realize what he had just done.

"It was Jeff who stopped you. If he hadn't grabbed your head to fend you off who knows what you would have done… thank God you stopped… why?"

Mark couldn't believe what he had done.

"I… I am so sorry… I didn't…" he mumbled and crawled away.

"Did… did you…" Jeff began asking but the pain was stopping him making wince and moan. Dave held him close.

"Did you find what… you were looking for?" finally he asked.

Mark looked at him with a mix of sadness, determination and anger.

He nodded.

"Yes… but the price is too heavy… I'm sorry…"

"What is it?" Dave asked helping Jeff stand up. He used his t shirt to clean his face from the blood.

But he didn't have the time to get a reply.

Wind blew from outside. Fierce torrents broke down the door and broke the planks that boarded the windows. The glass broke in thousands of pieces from the outside in. Dust and gravel flew in and no man could breathe.

Outside the night had fallen and no star or moon could be seen on the sky.

All was dark.

A foul smell lingered in the air making them gag and cough in disgust. Only Mark could identify it as the smell of sulfur.

Hell's stench.

It was coming.

"Take cover" Mark yelled but his voice was covered by the loud noise that was approaching.

It had found them.

A great roar was heard from a distance; a roar that was coming closer and closer targeting the small cabin in the middle of the desert. And as it drew closer, the three friends realized it sounded like a great beast. A gurgling sound mixed with screams of suffering, blood and metallic clinging.

They couldn't open their eyes. The dust was hitting them with force making their skin hurt. Dave covered Jeff with his body protecting him. They didn't need to be told what was coming.

Amongst the noise of the wind and the gravel that hit the cabin, the roar, the screams and the hellish sounds, Dave managed to hear Jeff mumbling something from his embrace. It took him a while but he managed to hear it.

And his heart sank.

"He's coming… Lucifer's angel… the cursed one…" and his body shook fiercely.

Wood broke and claws scratching the earth and the cabin's wall sounded dangerously close behind them. Dave turned around and saw.

Mark was standing next to them speechless with a hard look on his face and his eyes open wide, ignoring the dust and the wind. It was like he couldn't feel them. His eyes were fixed on the shattered door.

Dave turned and his breath stopped.

The Angel was here.

***

Nocturnal predator is looking for prey  
Terror strikes in the dead of night  
Hell has sent an angel of wrath  
And murder fills the city with fright

Blessed by the lord from below  
He cut his first victim's throat  
More slashing will soon follow  
Sworn to his satanic oath

Hand of death  
Demon claw  
Night stalker  
Nocturnal predator

Out for another bloody sacrifice  
Stealthily he enters the house  
Jack the knife wields his gun  
Shooting men in front of their spouse

Carving up the wife in neck, face and groin  
Satisfying his sadistic delight  
The misanthropic killer gouged her  
And took, with him, her eyes

Sadistic intruder went on with his mission  
To hunt and kill human prey  
Raping the women, he captured  
Forcing them to give the devil praise  
Drawing occult signs on the bodies  
The pentagram left as his mark  
He was caught but awaits his revenge  
Slashing disciple of the dark

Hand of death  
Demon claw  
Night stalker  
Nocturnal predator

Nocturnal hunter is looking for prey  
Terror strikes in the dead of the night  
Hell has sent an angel of wrath  
And murder fills the city with fright

Blessed by the lord from below  
He gave in, to the demonic call  
Now he waits on death row  
Lucifer dwells within us all

**(Legion Of The Damned - Nocturnal Predator)**


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 14**

Violent chaos haunting me  
Mirror of countless human tragedies  
Times of horror, constant lies  
Totalitarians autocracy's demise  
Fake peace a necrologue for the elite  
Brutality among the weak  
While children die for Armageddon victory's breed  
This necrologue for the elite  
Like raging beasts among the sheep  
While flags are waving everywhere  
They scream

Hordes of chaos  
Everyone against everyone - chaos  
Hordes of chaos  
Everyone against everyone - chaos

Brutal riots left and right  
Out to destroy, willing to die  
Honor killing in blood is she'd  
A cruel reality in empires built in sand  
Dark war, more gruesome than ever before  
Supports this decadence galore  
A tyrants feast on shoulders  
Of the poorest of the poor  
The necrologue for the elite  
The rise of the heartless bourgeoisie  
While flags are waving  
Everywhere they scream

Hordes of chaos  
Everyone against everyone - chaos  
Hordes of chaos  
Everyone against everyone – chaos

**(Kreator- Hordes Of Chaos)**

***

The wind stopped blowing but the stench lingered still. For a few moments everything went calm. Like the big breath before the plunge. Dave was still protecting Jeff in his arms with his back turned to the door. Mark on the other hand was still erect, standing still and strong facing whatever had come.

Slowly Dave turned his head above his shoulder.

"Don't look" came Mark's order. But it came too late.

And that's when they saw…

Right in front of the door, just one step inside the house, stood what they called Lucifer's Angel.

Dave was left speechless.

There it stood. A creature unlike anything he had seen before. He couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. He was surprised to find himself thinking that angels didn't have a gender; that they are asexual; that this is what they are supposed to look like. But it was so beautiful; like it was made of light. There was nothing in its presence that seemed dangerous or evil.

Quite the contrary.

It was dressed in white, golden blond hair falling on its shoulders and those eyes… such gorgeous eyes, calm and serene. Just one glance at them and Dave was lost. His grip relaxed feeling safe to release Jeff. He just couldn't stop looking in those eyes. His heart was telling him that he knew them; that he had seen them before but his mind was numb. He was unable to react… whatever warning Mark had given him, it was quickly forgotten.

Jeff crawled away from Dave's arms. He didn't have the strength to stand up. With his back still turned to the door, Jeff was trying to catch his breath and not puke from the horrible lingering smell.

Decaying flesh and sulfur.

It took him a few seconds to realize the silence that had fell in the house. A chill passed him, one chill that made him shiver and tremble. He was afraid to turn around. He knew his eyes were gone, but still something told him that what stood behind him was beyond his ability to see with mortal eyes…

No, behind him stood a creature he knew he would be able to see even without his eyes.

He couldn't hear anyone speak and anyone move for a while and that made him more afraid. That meant that they were in trouble. What was worse was that Mark had fallen silent as well.

Terrified he turned to 'see'.

But what his blind eyes met wasn't what the others were seeing.

If Mark and Dave saw the most beautiful creature that ever existed, Jeff saw the opposite. What they thought was light, Jeff saw darkness and decay. What they thought was beauty, Jeff saw monsters.

What stood before him was evil in its purest form.

It was dressed in white, but not a pure and clean white. It wore white robes, ones that flowed with invisible wind, dirtied, torn and bloodied. Its face wasn't beautiful but the face of a monster. An unnatural huge mouth painted its face, with hundreds of razor sharp teeth. That face didn't have a nose or eyes or ears… Blood ran from its mouth and lips as the razor teeth cut the flesh around. There were pieces of flesh missing. Skin and muscle, gone… there was only bone, veins and toxic blood where its skull and left ear ought to be.

And that tongue. A long forked tongue that obscenely travelled across those horrifying teeth. That monster didn't seem to care or hurt as its tongue was being cut. It used to have human hands… once, maybe long ago. Now a pair of decaying hands emerged out of the robes with pieces of rotten flesh and bones sticking out. No finger nails… but black claws. From every wound and every opening he could see living snakes, worms, cockroaches, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, spiders, centipedes and lizards crawling, rattling and hissing endlessly.

'This isn't an angel' Jeff thought.

Then the angel lifted his hand and pointed at him.

"No" Jeff whispered and started to crawl away. He stopped when his back hit the wooden wall. There was nowhere else to go.

He was trapped.

He couldn't understand why the others didn't do anything to help him.

When the angel took one step towards him, many of the bugs rattled, fell on the floor and as they hit the ground they made a hissing venomous sound. But what terrified him more was what was coming behind the angel. What numbed him and almost made his heart stop was what stood behind the terrible angel.

Hordes of monsters.

Monsters he knew… he had seen before.

Monsters that he had dreamed about… the same ones that had tortured him, that had gouged his eyes out… the ones that had raped him… Now they were approaching behind Lucifer's angel, menacingly, lustfully, angrily.

Jeff felt his blood run cold.

The angel took another long stride. It brought him dangerously closer to Jeff.

The young Hardy managed to get to his legs and his hands started to fumble the wall behind him. He knew there wasn't any way out of there. He felt trapped like a mouse in mousetrap.

Helpless and hopeless.

He crawled to the right corner of the room, his back glued to the wall.

The angel was upon him. Just two steps away. He could hear the monsters behind licking their lips, sharpening their fangs and claws. His heart sank in desperation.

"Dave" he cried out. Why weren't they helping him? Why couldn't they see?

"No one can help you now" came a rough gurgling voice from the angel and blood oozed from the cuts on the mouth. "You are alone"

Jeff felt his body give up and fell down helpless.

The angel brought up its sick hand and offered it to him.

Jeff refused it and huddled deeper in the corner.

"There is no way to win this… this is your destiny. What you were born to do Jeff. Don't refuse it. Deep inside you knew. That charisma didn't come free. Who do you think gave it to you? Who do you think gave you all that success? God? No, sweet Jeff… Hell gave them to you… and now it wants something from you… just little thing…"

The angel leaned over and loomed above him.

"No please" Jeff begged and closed his ears with his hands not wanting to hear anything more.

"I promise you won't feel anything bad… I promise, I will give you everything… anything… just take my hand willingly."

Jeff felt the sickness and the rotting spreading to his body and his mind. The terrible voice of the angel echoed in his mind.

"I promise you won't suffer. I promise you, you will like it… the power in your hands, all at you feet begging you, loving you"

Jeff closed his eyes and buried his head in his arms. He didn't want to hear any more. But no matter how hard he tried, the voice reverberated in his head, like a voice from his consciousness.

He felt cold spreading to his body. Lucifer's Angel hand was now a few inches away from him.

"Mark? Dave?" Jeff cried out in a last attempt for help.

The angel chuckled and the mouth opened wide revealing again its deadly teeth.

"They cannot hear you my love. You truly are alone"

"What have you done to them?"

"Just a small spell. They think they are seeing an angel of the Lord standing before them… they won't be helping you"

Jeff could only see the monsters. By some trick of evil, his blind eyes could only see them, the evil… the living was forever lost to him. He couldn't see Mark or Dave, or the house… nothing but the monsters.

Jeff let the sobs surface and blood tears run down his face.

"Don't cry my love. Take my hand and you won't feel any more pain"

Jeff didn't look at him. Blood tears were blurring his vision making everything take a red hue. He really didn't want to do this. He really wished he would die than see his family, his friends and his love die by his doing. But he felt so alone… utterly and hopelessly alone.

And he was so afraid.

"Please… my God… please help me… don't leave me" he whispered in a last effort to hold on to his sanity.

***

Mark stood in the same spot looking mesmerized at the apparition at the door. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His mind told him that it can't be an angel of the Lord that he was seeing. As far as he knew there had never been any angels appearing to mortals throughout the history of mankind. The smell that followed it was another thing that bothered him. How can an angel smell so foul?

But no matter how hard he tried, he was lost in the beauty he was seeing; a creature whose beauty stunned him.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there. Suddenly he heard a desperate whisper from behind him.

"Please… my God… please help me… don't leave me"

Then suddenly he felt pain and the vision dissipated. It was again dark and from next to him he heard Dave scream as well. The smell grew stronger and the angel disappeared. Instinctively Mark turned around and that's when he saw.

There was no Lord's angel, no beauty and no hope.

The house was filled with monsters so terrible! Hordes of them had surrounded them in and out of the house but none dared touch them. And Lucifer's angel stood just a few feet away from him, looming above a fallen Jeff whose blind eyes looked straight at him.

The angel was at arm's reach from Mark. It was offering its macabre hand to the young Hardy. He had no idea what it had told him and he really didn't want to know. Just one glance at the poor man was enough to see that the games it was playing were slowly succeeding. The angel had almost broken all resistances Jeff had put up. He was crying desperately, blood tears running from his blind eyes, lost in fear and guilt.

Mark cursed himself for not seeing through the spell immediately. He was glad however that Jeff had managed to break it, although Jeff didn't know he had done so. By uttering the small prayer to God, by asking His help, Jeff had broken the spell.

Now hell would break loose.

Dave woke up as well from the spell and as soon as the pain subsided and found himself looking at Mark, with frantic eyes searching for Jeff.

When he saw the deathly angel above Jeff, he wanted to hurl himself at it and fight it away from the man he loved. But Mark's hand stopped him. He gave Batista an angry look.

The angel rose slowly from above Jeff and turned his face slightly, looking at the men from above his shoulder.

"Your friends have woken at last." He looked again at Jeff. "Pity you had to break my spell… if there was a chance they would die painlessly, it is gone now… for they will die by my minions… make no mistake about it… and you have but yourself to blame"

"No" Jeff begged and looked at Lucifer's angel.

The monsters hissed and started to approach the two men menacingly. Death approached.

Dave looked at Mark. The dead man dug his hands in his coat's inner pockets and took out two knives, like the one they had used in the ritual. The perfect long silver blades shone in the faint moonlight.

He tossed one at Dave.

"Oh look" the dark angel spoke amused "your friends are ready to go down fighting… I wonder how long they can last my hordes… how long till they break… till they suffer what you have suffered"

Then the angel turned and lifted its right sickly finger.

"Get them" he gurgled his order.

All the hordes of Hell turned and looked at the two wrestlers with eyes that betrayed their hatred, their lust and their hunger for blood. Dave could hear his blood pumping faster in his veins, he could feel his breath speeding and his sweaty palms grasping the knife tighter. He took one look at Mark who stood firm next to him.

Mark's eyes shone with determination and hatred for the demons that surrounded them. He held nothing but spite for them. He wanted them dead.

Dead for killing his wife.

Dead for killing his son.

Dead for wanting Jeff.

The knife was held skillfully in his hand and his fingers played with the hilt trying to find a suitable grasp.

"There is nothing you can do to save him. How many can you kill? Ten? A hundred? A thousand? MY DEMON HORDES ARE ENDLESS" the angel screamed and opened his arms wide giving the sing for the attack.

At that moment a collective scream came out of the mouths of the demons. The first to attack were the ones closer to Mark and Dave. The demons held no weapons but for their long sharp nails and fangs.

Three came at Mark. With a quick dive he dodged the long claws aiming for his throat and plunged the knife to the demons right side. Its disgusting face distorted in pain, it screamed and then with a cracking burning sound disappeared leaving behind it nothing but the foul smell of death and decay. The second was right behind it. It came towards him from low, targeting his stomach. Mark took a quick step back, killing a demon that stood behind him in the process. The demon in front staggered for a few moments. It was all Mark needed to gain the upper hand. He stepped forward again and grabbed the demon by its neck. The knife plunged deep once and when it came out, the monster screamed. Before vanishing, Mark let it fall in the ground. The third one approached from the back. It grabbed him by the shoulders and dug its nails in his muscles. Mark cursed out loud but quickly grabbed the demon's hand and brought him in front dropping him on two other demons that had come close. He lifted his eyes.

Millions stood unharmed.

Endless demons awaited their turn growling in anticipation.

***

Growing up, Dave was used to being the larger man; the stronger. There weren't many times he had faced someone stronger, faster or bigger. In the ring it was all business and at the end of the day, all men were friends. But out of the ring, no one dared face the animal Batista. And the times he had faced someone, they weren't any bigger or faster than him.

But tonight was a different night.

The demons around him were many.

A legion.

The monsters were strong.

They were fast.

And they had razor sharp claws and fangs to go with.

And he was scared. Scared of what losing meant for him, for Jeff, for Mark… for the world. It was such a burden and such a weight to carry. He didn't want it but he understood now how Jeff must feel knowing of the consequences of his actions might be. And he realized how great a responsibility those actions carried.

The demons around him growled with deep animalistic voices and lunged at him with force. Dave was trained as a professional wrestler and the life he had lead at his young age had made him street smart but he had no idea how to use a knife. He waved it maniacally in a desperate attempt to hit flesh.

A demon leaped at him. Dave waved the knife desperately hitting it in its stomach. A sizzling sound came and black blood fell on his chest. Then it disappeared with a foul lingering smell that made the other monster more aggravated.

The second one came from his left side. With fast strides it came at him. With one leap it was on him, arms around him and nails digging on his back. Dave screamed in pain and the demon gurgled with him in pleasure and in victory. But a little too soon, as Batista managed to bring the knife up and stick it to the demons left eye.

Blood spattered to his face making him want to vomit. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. Dave frantically turned around to face his foe only to find Mark at his side. They looked at each other for just one moment. Then they turned around one man's back touching the others'. They had more chances in covering their rear. That way there were less chances of a monster killing them for behind.

But still… the monsters that remained were far too many.

For a few seconds, no demon attacked.

"Mark?" Dave asked with his eyes still turned on the monsters.

"Yeah"

"Do you have any plans?"

"Yes" Mark replied out of breath.

"And?" Dave asked sticking his knife in the face of a demon that had come too close for his liking. Mark crouched low avoiding a demon claw. He grabbed the monster and threw it with force away. The demon squealed and fell on top of another demon.

"You won't like it" came the response.

That threw Dave off balance. He had no idea what the dead man meant by those words. And he didn't like what that phrase implied.

"Tell me anyway" Dave told him waving the knife in front of him keeping the monsters at bay.

"We have to stop fighting". Mark's words echoed in the house and rose above the yelling and the growling. "We have to give in… give up"

Dave felt Mark behind him lose his fighting stance and straighten his back. He looked from his shoulder and saw him drop the knife on the ground surrendering to the demons.

"Mark… NO" Dave yelled. He turned around and picked up the fallen knife.

But that gave the demons the opening they needed. Tens of them jumped forward.

Salivating, hungry, angry, bloodied and ghastly, the monsters were upon them.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 15**

Intense devastation of nature  
Constructing a future for man  
The world is sold dirt cheap  
For promises no one can ever keep  
There's no hope, just decay  
Creation leads only to chaos  
The very first years of your life  
Mother makes things right  
But soon you just cannot deny  
This is only a lie  
We live in a world of hate and deceit  
corruption and greed  
Just wait my friend, you will see  
Misery's coming your way, horror  
and pain reserved for you  
Some pain will last, last forever  
Eternal slaves of morbid minds  
Helpless and blind  
Dealers of heartless oppression  
Controlling mankind  
Resistance is quelled, it's birth  
incomplete, no chance to succeed  
And those, those who don't care if  
you live or die  
Are never around to shoulder the blame  
Some pain will last, last forever  
Time, the time flies fast you will feel  
Still a child yet tomorrow you'll be  
A man full of hopes and of dreams  
Prepare, prepare for some pain yet  
unknown  
Planned and arranged for so long  
Chemical mutants arise  
A generation born just to die  
Born just to die, a whole generation born  
just to die!

(**Kreator-Some Pain Will Last lyric)**

***

The battle was raging ahead.

Somewhere in the room, not far from him, his two friends were battling the demons…

His demons.

One of the men fighting was his love, his long lost but found soul mate. He wished he had his eyes only to see him one more time. He could hear the roaring, the growling, the nails and the claws, the feet on the hard wooden floor. He could smell the stench of the monsters as they died. He could hear the clinging of knifes as the hit flesh, as they cut bone, soft tissue.

But he could also hear his friends screaming and yelling from time to time, grunting as the fight went on…

as one by one the monsters managed to inflict one more cut…

one more scratch…

one more bite.

He wished he couldn't see the terrible angel before him and the hordes of monsters that seemed to overflow the house and cover the entire dessert.

The angel was looking back at what Jeff thought was the raging battle ignoring the young Hardy for the moment. Jeff breathed a silent sigh and closed his eyes trying to bore the images out of his mind. He huddled further into the corner. His face was covered in blood tears and his hair was wet from the sweat that was covering his body. He leaned his head against the wall feeling the cold of the night on the wooden planks.

How could they win?

The demons were so many.

Jeff felt his body weaken and his hope fail. How could they ever think they would win? Maybe this was what's supposed to happen. Maybe man deserved to die for the sins and the horrible things they have done to each other.

But how could he give up so easily? How could he let them die? All those people he loved… his family… What about all the good things that existed?

What about peace? Family?

What about love?

Weren't they worth fighting for?

Dying for?

Jeff's hope might have been lost forever but he would rather die the most painful and gruesome death than let the others perish. He felt rage in him coming in waves, rising dangerously.

He was tired being a victim, helpless always at the mercy of the others; always being taken advantage.

It was time to act. He opened his eyes and looked at the angel. It had its back turned on him. A pair of dead wings lay limp, rotten and broken. A few black feathers still remained intact. He looked at the demons. For some reason, they had stopped the fighting. All their attention was drowned to the center of the house, where he knew his friends stood fighting. Amongst the growling and the scratching of nails against the walls and the floor, Jeff managed to hear a few words being exchanged.

"Tell me anyway"

"We have to stop fighting… We have to give in… give up"

Alarmed Jeff stood up. His legs felt weak and they could barely hold his weight. He used the wall as a support and finally after what seemed an eternity to him, he was up. And the angel was a fingertip away.

Then came a scream.

Dave's scream.

"Mark… NO"

Then suddenly the whole room seemed to take a red hue. The demons twitched in anticipation and looked at the men for just a split second before snarling and attacking. Thousands of them pushed forward, millions of nails and fangs echoed in his head. A chill passed his body.

And then Jeff knew.

This was it.

His time to chose.

His end.

"I love you" he whispered and no one heard him. "Always"

Jeff screamed and charged. The angel turned just in time to see the young man attacking him. He jumped and managed to land on the angel's tall back. Using the wing bones as stepping stones, Jeff climbed up and put his arms around the angel's neck.

The angel didn't speak a word. Not even when Jeff bit him in the neck taking out a chunk of flesh. With his hands, he tried to turn its head around and snap it, kill it. But the hellish being was too strong. It slowly lifted its nightmarish hand and grabbed Jeff by the nape. It squeezed firmly.

And Jeff felt his breath escape. He felt his body tense and his muscles ache. The angel with one snap movement brought him forward and dropped him hard on the floor on his back.

Jeff moaned and his face twisted in pain as he felt some ribs breaking from the landing. Before he could react the angel's leg was on top of him, on his chest, pinning him down, making breathing harder and harder.

"You dare attack me?" it asked. "I AM LUCIFER'S ANGEL… I CANNOT DIE" it snarled hatefully and its mouth spat blood on Jeff's face. "I AM FOREVER"

"Please… stop it" Jeff wheezed out. "Stop them"

The angel looked at him hatefully. It raised its hand and all the demons stopped. The heap of demons that had gathered in the middle of the house dispersed.

"I will let you take a look at what you have done… then maybe you will come willingly."

The angel leaned over and touched Jeff's forehead with his bony finger. A surge of pain travelled in his mind and all he could feel was pain. Like his eyes were being ripped from his skull.

Then the red hue disappeared from the house and darkness fell. He blinked a few times

And then he saw…

And what he saw made him want to cry.

Scream.

Die.

There, on the ground, in a bloody mess were two bodies.

Dead.

Mark's body was cut in more ways he could count. Blood was oozing from his wounds and his eyes were blank, staring at the ceiling.

Dave was lying prone on the floor. He face was a mask of pain. He was looking straight at Jeff with his last ounce of life. There was blood and flesh and his hand was twisted and broken in a morbid angle. Jeff looked at him as he too was lying supine.

He saw tears.

Then the light faded from his eyes and Dave let out his last breath.

"NO" Jeff screamed and he grabbed the angel's leg trying to free himself. But the angel wouldn't move. It wouldn't let him go near.

"You killed them Jeff. You"

Jeff broke down in sobs. The angel leaned over and touched his forehead again. This time there was no pain. Jeff lost his sight painlessly, like a fading light. But the sobs didn't stop. Lucifer's angel was right. He was to blame. If he had accepted his offer then none of this would have happened. Maybe if Mark had been still alive, he would have known a way to stop it.

Then it hit him. A possible solution.

"Please… I will come…" he spoke from amongst the sobs. Jeff felt the leg of the angel rising from his chest. It leaned over and grabbed him by the throat lifting him up on his feet. He brought his close to him… too close to that eyeless face and the morbid mouth that spat blood at every word.

"You will come" it said making more of a statement than a question.

"I will… on one condition."

The angel got angry and squeezed his neck tighter. The mouth opened in anger showing the sharp teeth and the tongue.

"You don't get to ask anything"

Jeff gasped for air.

"Then… kill… me" he managed to say.

The angel snarled and loosened its grip. Jeff took a deep breath of the foul air that lingered in the room. It wouldn't let him go yet.

"I am willing to come with you… if… you let my friends live"

"Your friends are dead" the angel hissed.

"You said you can give me anything… I say, I am offering myself to you and your master if you bring them to life. Me for them." He said and pointed at the two dead men. He tried to keep his face firm and strong. Only his heart knew how broken it was. How much strength he had mustered to say those words and not cry.

The angel snarled. The terrible mouth opened wide and greeted its teeth making a hair rising sound. It squeezed Jeff's neck tighter in anger. The snarl became a growl that soon escalated to a roar. Blood was smeared on Jeff's face. Some entered his mouth making him want to gag.

But the angel was thinking about it and all Jeff could hope for was that it wouldn't see through his plan…

All he hoped for was that his plan did actually work.

The demons around them had ceased to move. Their growls were too low as the seemed to be cowering away from their master's anger.

It brought his even closer to his mask of horror and then Lucifer's angel spoke.

"As you wish"

It raised its free hand and pointed at the two dead men. Its fingers crooked and breaking sounds were heard coming from inside the angel.

Jeff had great difficulty breathing. He could feel the angel's strong grip around his neck tighten and his eyes started to roll back.

Then there was light and a strong wind blew in the house chasing away all the dust. Jeff couldn't see it but he could feel the warmth invading the room and gathering in the centre, to the two dead men.

To his friends' bodies.

He wished he could see them one more time.

See them come to life.

But he was happy to do it. He knew that the angel wouldn't lie to him. He knew that he would raise them back to life in order to achieve what it wanted.

Dave felt hot air entering through his nostrils and warming his cold body. Pain shot to his arm as the bones, broken before, seemed to displace to their original position. No scream came from him despite the pain. Instead a low moan came from his lips and his eyes flew open frantically searching, looking around.

He remembered being dead… dying… he knew he had been killed by those terrible beasts. He could still feel their claws, their fangs tearing his flesh to pieces. Biting him, gnawing him…

Mark's eyes opened suddenly… urgently. He didn't have to look to know that all his wounds were healed. He sat up with one single fluid move and turned his head to the angel's direction.

The light faded and the wind died. Darkness crept back in and the familiar stench of sulfur spread. Still the demons were cowering away afraid to get close to the Mark and Dave. Afraid to go near Lucifer's angel.

Both men looked at it in awe and anger.

There it stood. Tall and terrible. Bloodied and strong. It still had its hand around Jeff's neck. The young Hardy was taking his last gasps of air. He wasn't fighting any more. His face had a serene look.

A peaceful look.

He knew his friends were alive.

He had exchanged himself for them. He had died for them.

The angel brought Jeff close to his mouth. Dave's breath caught in his neck as he saw the angel of hell open its mouth and bring Jeff close enough for a kiss. Teeth met flesh and blood ran from the young man's lips. Jeff smiled. He didn't care for the pain of having his flesh torn and bitten. He grabbed the angel's face and deepened the kiss.

Dave started to move but Mark's strong hand kept him in place. He looked at the dead man in surprise but Mark just waved him to stop and wait. He too had a smile upon his face; a look of calmness and almost happiness. Jeff was doing what he hoped he would do.

The kiss stopped and Jeff looked at the angel. He smiled wider.

"You are mine now… now the dark Lord shall walk upon this earth all shall despair. Prepare to die little one"

Jeff's smile faded and he closed his eyes waiting for the death to come. Waiting for the earth to open for Hell to claim him.

The earth shook and from a distance falling rocks were heard. Snakes hissed and bugs crawled for cover. The demons around stepped back in fear.

"Jeff" Dave screamed but his love didn't seem able to hear him.

Jeff's hands fell down limp and his head fell back.

"No" Dave screamed but still the dead man wouldn't let him go. Dave looked at him in anger. But Mark didn't say a word. His grip on Batista's arm was strong. He wouldn't let him go near his love.

"Trust him" he whispered.

Then a terrible scream came.

The ground shook more violently. The wooden planks on the floor broke and dark mist started to emanate from the earth below pushing the two men down on their backs coughing and spiting dust and gravel.

Where there was once the earth now a three feet wide hole stood.

The two men lay at the edge of the hole.

The angel and Jeff stood across the hole.

A stench of death, rotten blood and decay came from the hole.

Hell was coming. They knew it because everything around them seemed to die… wither away… wilt…

"Please let me go" Dave whispered pleadingly.

"Wait… it's not over yet" Mark whispered back eagerly not taking his eyes off of Jeff.

Lucifer's angel raised Jeff's body above the opening, wishing to drop him into the bowels of Hell and fulfill Satan's wish.

But then the angel froze.

It didn't open its fingers.

It screamed and its tongue travelled on the sharp teeth, cutting it.

Light came. But this time, it didn't come from the demons or the hell.

This time it came from the door.

The demons shrieked and dispersed… vanished with a loud growling sound into dust.

"No" the angel screamed towards the light. "He is MINE… MINE…"

It took a step back still having his hand around Jeff… still not wishing to let him go. Jeff was long gone. His body limp and his eyes closed.

One breath away from death.

Dave looked at the light but it was too strong to look into. He covered his eyes with his hand, shading them from it.

Mark by his side, was smiling peacefully. He could see in the light.

He could see what was coming.

He could see who was standing by the door.

He smiled wanting to cry.

It had been so long… such a long time.

"Eddie" he mumbled and a tear rolled down his cheek.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 16**

So hear me now  
This weakened voicing  
Listen one last time  
It is dying  
Here at the end I am  
Watching closely  
Afraid to see you  
Afraid to be

So here it is again  
This loneliness of mine  
I can't seem to find you  
I don't believe you're there  
Is this your hand?  
Is this the turning?  
I need to say I lost you  
I need to say goodbye

And save me from this blinding night  
Of nothing  
Save me from the dying  
Save me from my god  
Choose to find salvation in the sorrow  
I hope to see you laughing  
Laughing at the end

So here it is again  
This loneliness of mine  
I can't seem to find you  
I don't believe you're there  
Is this your hand?  
Is this the turning?  
I need to say I lost you  
I need to say goodbye

I'm standing here in line  
Hoping to see  
My dreams are intertwined  
I'm here by your side  
So here it is with me  
This old friend of mine  
I'm trying to break free  
I'm here by your side

So here it is again  
This loneliness of mine  
I can't seem to find you  
I don't believe you're there  
Is this your hand?  
Is this the turning?  
I need to say I lost you  
I need to say goodbye

**(Mercenary-Isolation (The Loneliness In December))**

*******

"Eddie" Mark whispered and a tear rolled down his face.

"You" the angel growled. "You can't be here… you have no right"

The light faded a little and Eddie took a step inside the room. Dave unshielded his eyes and then he saw him.

Eddie Guerrero.

It was him standing there. He looked so different… he looked so beautiful… like he was made of light. He had a peaceful look on his face but and he still carried that cunning spark he used to when he was alive; that look of mischief… the one he used to have when he was cheating and getting away with it.

Only this time, he was cheating Hell… and he loved every minute of it.

Dave felt tears rising to his eyes. He couldn't understand what was happening. How can Eddie be here? How can he see him?

Eddie looked at the angel that was still holding Jeff in its arms and took another step. It brought him to the edge of the opening.

"I have every right to be here" he spoke calmly.

The angel brought his finger and pointed at Eddie. The two spectators didn't know what the angel meant to do because Eddie raised his hand and with stretched palm stopped the angel dead on his tracks.

"You can't have Jeff… he has made the ultimate sacrifice. He has died for them" he said and pointed at Mark and Dave who were slowly coming to their feet.

Now it all made sense to Dave. Now he finally knew what Jeff had done. What Mark hoped would happen.

Jeff must have known there was no way in winning Hell and those terrible demons. He must have figured out sometime during the fight that since he wouldn't be able to escape the angel's grip, there was only one way in defeating it.

Sacrificing himself.

Because true sacrifice is the noblest of virtues.

Because those who sacrifice their lives to save the others can only go o heaven.

And Mark must have known all along. Only he couldn't tell them what they had to do. It had to come from their hearts.

It had to come from Jeff's heart.

"He has sacrificed himself for them… even you must obey to that rule. You cannot have Jeff…"

Lucifer's angel screamed fiercely. Anger was emanating from every part of it. He was shaking violently in fury knowing it had been beaten. With one snap it broke Jeff's neck and threw him brutally against the wall.

"NO" Dave screamed upon hearing the sickening snap of the bones breaking; as he saw his love being thrown against the wall like a ragged doll… too warn out to be used.

Mark twitched in fury.

Like always, evil had once again found a way to deprive them of the one they loved.

Jeff's body was lying on the floor broken and twisted in a weird angle.

Dead.

"Go now go back where you belong… go to Hell and tell Him…" Eddie emphasized the last word, "Tell him that he has lost. He won't walk this earth… go now Hell Spawn… you are not meant for this world. Go back into the abyss"

Eddie screamed the last words and he stretched his arms wide open using his body to make a cross.

Light came from him as a pair of white wings spread from his back.

"I am a servant of God. I command you, servant of Lucifer, in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit… DIE"

His hands became fists and more light shone.

Dave shielded his eyes again.

Mark stood still in awe.

The angel shrieked. Its broken wings fluttered desperately and started to melt under the heat that Eddie was emitting. The dark mist gathered around the angel and all the decay and the stench fell upon him.

From the opening hole on the ground a loud booming sound came. Loud moans and screams for help came from the depths of the earth. They could hear evil trying to climb up.

They could hear it failing.

The earth shook again.

"I cast you back to Hell Lucifer's Angel. Go and never come back"

The angel screamed. Its horrible fingers held its eyeless face. Teeth bit into them cutting them. Its hands entered the mouth, one grabbing the jaw the other grabbing the palate. The angel despaired. The hands started to open the mouth against the angel's will. It opened wider and wider and the angel screamed and gurgled drowning in its blood. Its long tongue writhed around in protest. Then they heard bones breaking and with one sharp movement the jaw was separated from the mouth. Bones broke and rotten flesh with black acidic blood spilled around the room. The angel stepped forward numbly. It lingered for a while… just a few seconds. Its muscles twitched. A moan was heard.

Then it fell, face first into the gaping hole.

Hands grabbed its robes and dragged him down. Terrible hands and terrible faces. Faces without mouths, faces without eyes and mouths, heads cut in half, hands with no nails, hands with iron claws. Screams, yelling, shouting, shrieking, squealing, moaning. All at once. And they all wanted the falling angel.

They all were thirsty for blood.

Because it had failed.

It had failed to set them free.

And now punishment beyond imagination awaited Lucifer's angel in Hell.

The hole began to close and the ground shook.

The wooden planks of the ceiling cracked and broke. The remaining floor seemed to shift position. Dave held onto to Mark but the quake was too big. Both fell on the floor trying to get some cover from the falling debris.

Then it stopped.

No sound.

So foul smell.

No gate to Hell.

Nothing but the night and a soft breeze.

Mark helped Dave stand up.

They looked around trying to catch their breaths.

Eddie was nowhere to be seen.

It was over.

They had won.

Had they?

All furniture was broken. All the windows were wide open. No planks covering them. Many pieces of the ceiling had fallen in the ground and some from the floor had snapped up forming dangerous spikes.

And there.

On the far corner.

Jeff still lay motionless.

Breathless.

Still dead.

"Jeff?" Dave mumbled as soon as he saw the body. Sobs rose but he managed to stop them.

For now.

Mark wasn't stopping him anymore. He was free to join his lover. He was free to hold him.

Dave took five steps. Five steps were all it took to reach Jeff. And each one felt worse than death.

He knelt down loudly ignoring the pain on his knees as splinters entered his flesh. He didn't know where to touch him. He didn't know how to hold him. His hands shook and finally tears rolled down his face.

All was blood and all was broken.

Slowly he reached Jeff's head. Wet hair covered his face. Blood clung to them, sticking them on his face. Carefully he caressed his face and put the strands of hair aside. He wanted to see his face.

Through all the blood Dave managed to see. Jeff's face had a look so calm. It seemed almost happy.

"What did you do?" he asked the fallen man.

Slowly he let his fingers caress his skin. Shaking fingers traced the fine lines of his mouth, nose and eyes. Carefully, like fearing waking a sleeping child, he put his hand around Jeff's neck. The broken bones of his spine and neck felt like marbles. It made his hair stand up and cry more. Tenderly he placed his palm at the back of his head and lifted him to his embrace.

He closed his eyes and brought his face close to Jeff's. Those lips once full of life; those lips he couldn't stop kissing and loving were now lifeless. Dave sobbed and held him close to his heart.

"Why did you leave me? What am I supposed to do without you?"

For him, there was no life now. Not alone. Not after this. It was so hard and so cruel having tasted true happiness, true love only to have it taken away so soon; and so violently. Tears run down his face and he made no effort to wipe them away.

Tears fell of Jeff's blood stained face.

Those eyes, now closed, seemed so peaceful. How he would love to see them again… Dave recalled starring into Jeff's eyes. When Dave had died by those demons, he remembered looking into the eyes of Jeff. Those blind eyes had for just one moment regained their true beautiful color… by a trick of the angel they had been given the chance to look into each other. It was probably the last time he had seen Jeff and Jeff had seen him.

Mark came to stand beside him. He too had tears in his eyes. He never wanted this to happen. But he also knew it was the only way.

And he hated himself for it.

It was another nail in his coffin; another nightmare to plague him; another life he had destroyed. There were many things he could say to himself for consolation. That one way or another evil would have found Jeff; that if it hadn't been for him, Jeff would have probably failed and Satan would have walked the earth; that it wasn't his fault that hell had chosen the young Hardy…

He knew all those were excuses and they were true.

But still he couldn't help but feel guilty.

He couldn't look at the dead man any more. He knew that for him, for the dead man, there would be no way for absolution. Not anymore.

"I am sorry" he simply said not daring to touch Dave and stepped back. He walked to the far side of the room where his bag was hurled. It had been blown away across the room sometime during the fight. The contents had been spilled on the floor.

The book.

The candles.

Holy water.

Chalk.

A silver cross.

A ritual knife.

A gun.

Bullets.

And a black velvet pouch.

Mark frowned at the sight of the pouch. He didn't recall having it with him. He thought he had left it at home before the beginning of this trip. His eyes closed and a deep breath escaped his lips. Could the content of the pouch be a way out? A way to save Jeff?

He picked up the pouch. It was small and light; as it should be given the things it contained. Easily he undid the knot that held it closed and emptied it to his right palm.

He hadn't seen them in such a long time.

Since that night.

The night of the horsemen.

The multicolored feather and the glass heart.

Back then, when he had faced the black rider, Mark by some trick of the horseman had been given the opportunity to save one of his friends; Dave or Jeff. The rider had placed on a balance the feather and the glass heart and had told the dead man he could chose which one to live and which one to die. Mark had known that the feather was Jeff and the glass heart was Dave. He hadn't made a choice back then. He had refused to, deciding to face the black horseman. He didn't want to be responsible for the death of a friend. Instead he had taken the two items and placed them in his pockets forgetting about their existence.

Up until now.

He closed his palm clasping the items tightly.

His mind focused away from the deathly scene behind him, away from the pain and the tears… and away from the guilt. There would be time for that later.

Now he had to focus, think.

Think.

Memories, dreams, nightmares, brothers, thoughts, teachings, feelings, books, scriptures, priests, teachers, friends, lovers, family, children, laughter, sadness, pain, love, happiness, misery. Everything that had happened to him in all those years came rushing back to him like a cold whirlwind. It felt like being tangled in a web. Like being caught in the vines; in quick sand… he knew there was a way. There had to be in all that mess, in his mind.

Then he just stopped. He realized there was nothing he had learned that could help him. No incantation, no scripture, no pendant. Jeff was dead and hoping to bring him back to life was simply impossible. He was not God. Only God could bring him back.

Or Satan…

He looked at his hand terrified at the thought that had just crossed his mind. Afraid to consider what there was only one way out.

He opened his palm again. The two items… they were made by the black rider. And he was a hell spawn, a servant of the dark side. He almost felt dizzy trying to follow the thought; trying to find the edge of reason. The two items carried an essence of the two men. The black rider had told him to choose which one to live and which one to die simply by choosing one of the items. So that meant that both objects contained part of their life threads; possibly part of their souls. And that made them dangerous.

Extremely dangerous.

Because that feather and that glass heart as beautiful as they were, they could either kill them or bring them back to life.

Kill them

Bring them back to life.

"God forgive me" he muttered.

He turned and looked at the two men behind him. Dave was still holding the dead man in his arms unwilling to move or stop crying. He wondered if this pain would ever stop for Dave… or himself. He had lost a dear one and he knew… that pain never really went away.

He had to try. But those objects were a fabrication of the dark side.

Maybe they contained evil as well.

Mark picked up the bottle of holy water and poured some on them. A hissing sound came from them and a wisp of black smoke came out. It didn't burn his hand. Instead they felt colder now than before. To his surprise and satisfaction, the feather's color took a brighter hue and the glass heart became shinier… clearer.

Mark smiled. Whatever evil was within them, it was now gone and he could use them on Jeff.

Maybe they could still save him.

Maybe not.

He took two steps forward and came to stop behind Dave. Batista turned and looked at him. There was no accusation look, no anger… just pain. Mark knelt next to Jeff.

"I think I have a way to bring him back" his voice echoed rough and pained.

Dave's breath was caught in his neck. His arms clasped tighter the body if his lover not understanding really what he had just heard.

Mark placed a hand on Jeff's forehead lovingly.

"What?" Dave asked his voice barely a whisper.

"Do you trust me?" the dead man asked looking resolutely at Dave. When the other man simply nodded, Mark smiled.

"Thank you" he added and brought forth the feather and the heart.


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 17**

A moth into a butterfly  
And a lie  
Into the sweetest truth  
I'm so afraid of life

I try  
To call your name but I'm  
Silenced by the fear of dying in your heart once again

I see the seasons changing  
And in the heart of this autumn I fall  
With the leaves from the trees

I play dead  
To hide my heart  
Until the world gone dark fades away

I cry  
Like God cries the rain  
And I'm just one step away from the end of today

I see the reasons changing  
And in the warmth of the past I crawl  
Scorched by the shame

I play dead  
To hide my heart  
Until the world gone dark fades away

I stay dead  
Until you veil my scars and say goodbye to fate  
Before it's too late

**(HIM-**** Play Dead)**

*******

Dave's heart was broken.

Holding Jeff in his arms, he didn't want to believe he had lost the one person that mattered to him most in his life. The one person he had found too late.

So very late.

His broken heart could never mend.

Or so he thought.

Hearing Mark's words, telling him he could bring him back… asking him if he trusted him was enough for his heart to pick up the broken pieces. But if this failed, then this heart would simply die, not shatter but pulverized.

But this was no time to doubt the dead man. This wasn't his fault after all and if hadn't been for him then this world would have been destroyed long ago and millions of souls condemned to eternal suffering in the depths of hell.

He swallowed hard. His throat felt hoarse. He looked at the eyes of the dead man not wanting to let Jeff go.

"Put him on the ground… please" Mark added noticing that Dave's grip on Jeff was only getting tighter. "Trust me"

Gently he placed him on the ground.

"I need you to kneel just above Jeff's head and hold his head still"

Dave obeyed and quickly did as he was told. He found that his arms were shaking from anticipation and fear. That spark of hope had been ignited again in his heart and he simply didn't want to believe that they could fail. It was not an option any more.

Mark came closer to Jeff. He took two deep breaths feeling nervous and afraid. Dave's hands kept Jeff's head steady. He leaned close to Jeff's face and tenderly opened his eyes with the tip of his fingers. The white orbs stared back but the red veins were gone. Mark thought it was awkward. He expected to find more bloody veins than before. He took a moment and looked at Jeff's face; at all the familiar characteristics. He wanted this to work. He needed this to work; not only for the sake of Jeff and Dave, but also for the sake of his soul. He just couldn't bare this burden too. He knew that if this failed, then both their lives would be over in a way. None of them would be able to return to wrestling, face Jeff's brother Matt. None of them would be able to move on knowing that Jeff had died.

Died for them.

To save them.

And the whole world.

Mark stopped his thoughts. This was such a heavy weight to carry for one man. Jeff had never asked for this. It was thrust upon him and he had carried it as long and as best as he could. And what a great job he had done! It was truly marvelous that he had succeeded. And there were no words of how grateful Mark felt at this moment.

Grateful, sad and afraid.

Him… the dead man. Afraid.

He brought forth the two items.

"What are these?" Dave asked noticing the bizarre objects in the large man's palm.

"I was given these by the black rider" he gave him a sideway glance making sure that Dave understood. He wanted to smile when he saw him twitch. "Back at the house, when I was facing the black rider, he gave me a choice. He showed me a balance. On one side there was this feather and on the other side this glass heart. He told me that the feather contained Jeff's life thread, part of his soul and the glass heart part of yours. He told me that I had to chose which one was to live simply by choosing one of the items."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Mark nodded.

"I refused to play his game. When he left, I picked them up just in case not realizing at the moment what I was doing… until now."

"What do you mean?"

"It just came to me… when I saw them… if I was able to chose back then which one to live simply by using those items, then they must contain part of your souls… and maybe I can use them to bring him back"

"But aren't those evil?"

"Not anymore"

Dave looked at him hope filling his eyes. He looked down at Jeff. His skin was so pale now and so cold.

"Listen to me…" Mark began speaking. "I don't know of this will work… there is a good chance it won't. But you're gone have to trust me and do what I tell you." A slight touch on Dave's hand was enough for the dead man to make his point. Batista looked at his eyes and felt like he was losing himself in them. A feeling of falling overtook him.

"Trust me" Mark repeated.

"I trust you… with all my heart and with everything I hold dear"

Mark didn't have to guess that he meant Jeff. He looked at the feather and the glass heart. They still looked beautiful. The only problem now was that Mark didn't know what to do. There was no spell or prayer to utter, to secret incantations that would help him bring Jeff back to life. He simply knew that the items held immense power.

He understood he would have to use his years of experience, his knowledge, though vague as it may be on this subject, and his feelings. He placed the glass heart on top of Jeff's bare skin, right on top of his heart. His dead heart. Nothing seemed to change.

He held the feather between his fingers. He looked at the many colors that decorated it. Now that he looked at it more carefully, he saw that there were thin strands of gold among the colors. He glanced at Dave. Batista wasn't watching him. He had his eyes fixed on Jeff… waiting… hoping… praying…

"Don't pray for Jeff to live for your own selfish reasons. If you want him back to life just so you can satisfy you need and love, this won't work"

Dave looked at him. And Mark was surprised at himself not knowing where these words had come from.

"You have you want him to live so he can have a good life regardless of your needs and feelings. You have to want him to live beyond pain and beyond love."

He used his fingers to open Jeff's mouth and placed carefully the feather inside. Then he closed it. He remained still for a few moments just looking and waiting. He didn't realize he was holding his breath. He noticed Dave's hands shaking and felt his own skin sweating.

Nothing happened.

Minutes passed.

Still nothing.

Mark let out a breath and closed his eyes in despair. He didn't want to believe this was over. He leaned above Jeff's face and looked into his eyes. The dead man wanted to cry. His heart was too now broken.

"I am so sorry" he whispered. "I am sorry I have failed you again" and kissed his lips. He caressed his face and his hair tenderly.

"No" Dave mumbled under his breath not wanting to believe they had failed. This couldn't be happening. He grabbed Jeff and took him in his arms, lifting him like he weighted nothing. He stood up and walked outside.

The sun was rising casting its first dark red and orange sunrays. There was no cloud visible on the sky. No wind blew. All was silent and all was calm. Dave took a few steps on the dessert and then fell down on his knees still holding Jeff in his arms. Mark followed him tears in his eyes.

Dave kissed Jeff's lips softly. Violent sobs shook his body.

Then a heart wrenching yell tore through the dessert and Dave held him closer. Mark covered his face with his hands not wanting to show his feelings.

"I love you" Dave whispered through a broken voice after the yell. "I can't live without you… you are my half… half my soul… half my heart… without you… I… I will die. I wanted you back but not just for me… I wanted you back because the world is a better place with you in it… because you inspire people… because when people look at you… you… you bring out the best in them… because I wanted you to see how beautiful is this world that you have died for…"

Dave lifted his eyes and looked at the sun. It was higher on the sky losing its perfect exotic color. Tears had reached his neck and he made no effort in whipping them away.

But then a warm wind blew.

Mark looked at the horizon. His eyes shone. There was a lingering smell in the air; one that Mark recognized; one that he had smelled in the past. He knew that the warm wind had brought a smell of incense and wild flowers.

Lilies.

Could this have actually worked? Could Dave's pain and breaking was what it took?

Alarmingly he looked at Jeff.

His eyes were open.

And he was looking at Dave. His blindness was gone. Those huge eyes were so alive.

And Dave was looking back at him, his face a mask of relief and love.

Those were now tears of happiness.

"I thought I lost you forever" he whispered.

Jeff smiled and lifted his finger. Using his fingertips he whipped away the salty tears that marred Dave's face.

"For a moment there…" Jeff breathed "you did"

"It was Mark that brought you back"

Mark had knelt beside Jeff his eyes shining with happiness. His soul could finally get some peace. Jeff looked at the dead man and smiled at him gratefully. But Mark simply smiled.

"I just pointed the way… it was truly Dave who found the strength to bring you back. He was able to find the force to look beyond his feelings no matter how painful it was for him."

"Thank you… both of you"

"No Jeff…" Mark said "thank you… for saving us" he caressed his head.

Both men helped him stand up. Jeff looked at the dessert. It felt strange now that he could see again. He felt like he had never seen before; that he was just now looking the world for the first time. Everything was so beautiful. He looked at the dead man that was now walking away leaving them alone.

Dave was standing beside him holding his hand, looking at him half expecting to wake up from a cruel dream and find himself holding his dead body again. Jeff had his eyes closed facing the sun savoring the warmth and the touch of Dave's skin against his.

Then he became serious. He looked back at Batista.

"What is it?" he asked alarmed.

"I… I can't go back…"

"Back where?"

"Home"

"Why not?"

"I don't know… it's just a feeling I have… that it's not over yet"

"What do you mean?"

"I just… when I was dead… I don't remember much… I remember talking to my mother. She told me that I was in danger… that I had to go back because you are in peril"

"But it's all over…. We defeated evil… there is no one that can harm you now"

"I asked her what the danger was but she didn't tell me… I remember hearing your words and a force pulling me back to live."

Dave leaned over and silenced him with a kiss. He never thought he would taste those lips again. Feel them brush against his own.

"It's over my love… it's over…"

Then he paused and smiled lovingly at Jeff. He truly felt happy and complete. It was almost painful to feel that way.

"Jeff… If you do so wish… we won't go back." He stammered.

Jeff's eyes became wide as saucers unwilling to believe what he was hearing.

"You will do that? For me? It is too much to ask of you. You can't put your life in hold..."

"Don't you know it by now? Don't you understand? Jeff… I can't live without you" and looked deep into those eyes.

The young Hardy smiled widely.

"I was hoping you would say that" and fell into his arms.

Jeff got lost in Dave's embrace and Dave held him closer and tighter not wanting to ever let him go.

"I love you" Jeff whispered.

"I love you" came the response.

Mark was looking at them from the front door. He smiled half happily half bitterly. He was happy that his friends were finally together. And he was bitter because he was still alone. Still it was a good day to be alive.

He heard Jeff saying that he couldn't go home. He thought that he too would have to lay low for a while. There was something that still bothered him in all this. But he was too tired and too spent to think about it at this moment. Maybe some good night's sleep would help him think better.

He gave the two men a few more minutes together before calling them inside. There were still many things they had to figure out before hitting the road.

And they still had a long way ahead of them.

'But I have promises to keep… And miles to go before I sleep' he thought to himself quoting his favorite poet Robert Frost.

***

"I can't believe that Lucifer's angel lost" the rough voice echoed in the dark chamber. A somber man was sitting in a wooden armchair his hands under his chin in thought and anger.

"It is for the best" came a softer colder voice. The other man was standing opposite the dark man. "Master wasn't happy at all with the outcome. He destroyed the angel" a cunning evil smile spread across his face.

"Do you think he will give you another chance? With just the two of you left?" a third hissing voice echoed from the shadows of the chamber where the other two couldn't see.

Both men looked at the corner where the hissing voice had come from.

The dark man stood up.

"Oh yes… In time… he will… because he used the glass heart and the feather."

"But he also used holy water"

"That is of no importance… I made them. Do you think I would make those things without some sort of trigger?"

"Trigger?" asked the pale rider.

"Except evil in its pure form, there were other things infused in those items; things that holy water doesn't consider satanic… things that it hasn't eliminated. The gift of life I gave Jeff doesn't come without a heavy price… in due time, you will see that the holy water only started a series of events that will eventually lead to their demise. It is only a matter of time before the downfall begins… and then… not all God's angels will be able to save them"

"And then they will fall…" hissed the voice again

"And we will have it all" added the softer voice.

"And Jeff's soul will be mine at last" hissed the third voice.

The black rider smiled as the pale rider walked out of the room with a huge grin in his face. Hell followed him out. Hell always followed the pale one. His smile grew wider and more evil. Those men had once again beaten Satan's schemes but that only made his appetite grow stronger. He would leave them alone for now… let them relax a little… maybe forget… and then… he would bring his brothers back to life…

And they would strike them…

'The horsemen will ride again' the black rider thought in delight and wave of lust passed through his body.

If he were human he would laugh.

***

The end

***

This is the end of Book II.

Thank you all for reading it and sticking with it till the end. All of you who write fiction, you know how hard it is and how much it takes from you. For this particular story I tried writing more on Jeff's point of view and his feelings directly and I hope I did well. But I wanted to give Mark a big piece of the action as well because he is such a great character to write about. I also wanted to give more on his background (his family and child) so this was a nice opportunity to dig a little deeper. Dave too held a nice piece of the action. Sorry for any inconsistencies or spelling mistakes. For the next book I will try and come up with something different and maybe surprise you… we'll see…

Thank you all for you kind words and your reviews. It's what kept me going. I would like to thank shlashdlite, TKRSDarkMuse, Seraphalexiel, Esha Napoleon,Souless666 and all those who reviewed. Thank you, thank you, thank you…

There will be a sequel but it may take some time to post… I am open to any suggestions and requests: What characters you would like to see taking a piece of the action. Who you may want to see dead… but keep in mind that I don't write mushy romances, only slash and horror…

Once again…

Like I said before…

Turn off the lights.

And close the door behind you…

I will see you soon

Until then

Goodnight.

***

Time to breathe.


End file.
